"Thank you, my boy," he smiled.
"You both take after your father so much,"
the king said. "He was such a giving man. Your mother,
however...."
Both Damien and Harrison glanced at the floor
at the mention of their mother. Both of them knew she had not been
the most loving of mothers. She enjoyed being the Duchess of
Marsten, but a loving wife and mother she was not. While their
father doted on the boys as much as he could, their mother avoided
them. She had fulfilled her duty of producing heirs, but she much
preferred the power and privilege that her position afforded
her.
"Yes, Roman does seem to take after mother,"
Damien agreed with a sip of his wine.
"She did enjoy a good soiree," Harrison
stated.
"I do fear that Roman is a bit too much like
her," King Eudon added. "She was power-hungry. That is why she
married your father. He was blind at the time to her
selfishness."
Both brothers looked saddened by the fact
that their father had been locked into an unhappy marriage.
"But," their uncle continued cheerfully, "she
did provide him with you boys, his pride and joy."
"Thank you, uncle," Damien smiled.
"So," the king began, changing the subject,
"I hear you had a rather interesting birthday party." The king
grinned widely. "Can I get in on the bet?"
And Harrison nearly choked on his wine.
Damien gaped at his uncle.
"Oh, I believe everyone has heard about your
little gift," the king laughed. "I should very much like to meet
your new companion. Shouldn't he be here? According to the
bet?"
"Sir," Damien sputtered, "I wouldn't want you
to think that I took your presence here so informally as to have a
slave in our meeting--"
"What? Am I not your uncle too?"
Harrison smiled. "I'll send Geoff for
him."
****
The door to the master bedroom opened
suddenly and Kayden scurried back under the table. He noticed a big
man (of course, everyone seemed big to him but this one was wide
too) step into the room, take a glance around, and then stride over
to the door to his little side room. He briefly remembered seeing
this man when he'd first arrived and a couple times in his master's
study, but there had been so many people around. Kayden noticed
this one had a dagger attached to his belt, and pressed himself
further out of sight.
The man frowned after looking into his room
as Ellis stepped from the washroom.
"Captain Brenner, sir, is there something I
can help you with?" Ellis asked.
"Yeah, where is his Grace's slave?"
"Oh," Ellis smiled, then pointed under the
table and Kayden almost hissed at the other neko for revealing his
hiding place. "He's under the table."
Geoff Brenner looked to where the house slave
was pointing. He frowned when he finally spotted the balled up
little thing against the wall. "What the hell is he doing under
there?"
Ellis just chuckled and shrugged.
"Eating?"
The captain shot the older neko slave a
scowl. "What's his name again?"
"Kayden."
The burly guard turned his attention back to
Kayden, and Kayden wished he could escape the large man's piercing
gaze.
"Kayden, come here, now," Geoff barked.
At the commanding tone, Kayden scurried out
from under the table. His body trembled as he wondered what the
large man was going to do with him. He could feel the man's gaze
raking over him.
"Hmm, little bitty thing, aren't you?" the
captain scoffed, reaching to take the boy's thin arm.
Geoff raised his brow when the neko recoiled
from his hand. He suddenly noticed that the tiny body was shaking
terribly.
"I'm not going to hurt you," he stated,
trying to keep his voice softer, as he slowly wrapped his large
hand around the thin bicep. "Your master just wants you now."
Kayden let out a small breath, trying to get
control of his fear. Nothing was going to happen, he tried telling
himself, but he still couldn't help feeling intimidated by the huge
man.
The guard led him carefully down the stairs,
keeping his grip light and guiding. Kayden breathed easier at the
gentle touch, figuring if the man wanted to hurt him, he had
already had plenty of opportunity to do so. Hopefully, he was
telling the truth and taking him to his master.
Kayden froze on the steps at the sight of all
the people in red in the foyer and was nearly yanked off his feet
by the guard. His bare feet stumbled to get back his balance as he
warily eyed the numerous men with daggers, swords, and pistols. He
noticed all the eyes turned to stare at him as he was led toward a
room he had yet to visit.
Kayden nearly cowered up against the guard
leading him, trying to avoid the attention of all the men with
weapons that could hurt him. He tried not to think about the loud
sound those guns would make, or the feel of a blade against his
skin.
At the guard's knock, the door opened, and
Kayden breathed in the soothing scent of his master.
"Your Grace," the captain nodded. "I have
your slave, as requested."
"Thank you," Kayden heard his master's smooth
voice and nearly darted out of the guards' hold toward the man.
The door closed behind him and his master
turned to the older man resting on the couch. Kayden pressed up
behind his master, seeking to hide from the stranger. There were
just so many new people!
"Sir, this is Ka--" Damien froze as he felt
pressure against the small of his back and realized the little neko
was hiding behind him.
His uncle and brother were laughing.
"He's a little shy," Harrison informed their
uncle.
"A little?" the older man chuckled.
Damien frowned, shifting to get the boy out
from behind him, and hoped fervently that the little kit didn't
embarrass him in front of his older kin. His hand slid down over
the boy's head a couple times, absently soothing him before resting
on the boy's neck.
"Sir, this is Kayden," Damien introduced
again. "The 'companion' that Harrison so thoughtfully gifted me
with on my birthday."
As Damien led Kayden by the neck to his
chair, the king shifted forward in his seat for a better view.
Damien felt the boy jerk into his side at the sudden movement of
his uncle, and he couldn't help the heavy sigh that escaped as got
ready to sit down. Kayden instantly dropped to his knees at his
feet as Damien shifted to sit in his chair.
"Obedient, though," Eudon praised.
"Most of the time," Harrison grinned into his
glass.
"Really? He's caused problems?" their uncle
looked surprised. Taking in the little black-haired neko, he
couldn't imagine that the tiny thing could be a problem.
"Only around loud noises," Damien said as he
settled back in his chair. His arm rested on the armrest and his
fingers absently drifted over the silky tresses briefly as the boy
settled next to him. Then he picked up his wine glass.
"I see," Eudon said, casting a glance over at
Harrison who was rising to refill their glasses. He was shocked by
Damien's brief touch on the boy's head that seemed to settle both
of them. The action was so quick and almost imperceptible that the
king would almost have sworn he'd mistaken it.
"Well, I'm sure this slave will be plenty
useful to you," the king smiled, trying to catch a glimpse again of
the bright green eyes that had peeked at him from under the
midnight tresses.
Damien seemed to frown down at the dark head,
but then his features softened and the king would have sworn he saw
a little smirk at the corner of his nephew's usually placid
features.
"You find that amusing?" Eudon queried,
accepting another glass of wine from his youngest nephew.
"No, just thinking..." Damien trailed off,
and the small smile evaporated. "Anyway, it's only for a month," he
said, casting a glare at Harrison, "to prove you and Roman
wrong."
"Hmm," the king hummed as he rose, and Damien
and Harrison rose with him. He noticed the little neko leaned into
his nephew's thigh, and Damien didn't seem to notice the touch,
obviously used to it. "Well, I must be on my way. I will see you in
court in a few days, and we will discuss my visits with the port
cities."
"Of course, uncle," Damien nodded.
"Harrison, don't let your brothers get too
serious. I think your little gift here will give all of you much
amusement," his eyes twinkled as the little thing shifted against
his master's leg. "Take care, boys. And take care of your little
gift, Damien."
The king strode toward the door, and the
Whitmore boys followed. Kayden stayed where he was on the floor,
not sure what he was expected to do, but definitely knowing he
didn't want to go back into the hallway with all of those armed
men.
"Oh, and keep an eye on your brother," the
king warned in a low tone. "I'm worried about him."
"Roman's harmless," Damien defended. "He just
lets his temper get the better of him sometimes."
Damien opened the door for his king, noticing
the abrupt shifting of the guards at the door. The three men
stepped into the grand foyer.
"Thank you for gracing us with your visit,
your majesty," Damien said formally.
King Eudon cast a glance back at the huddled
figure on the floor. "You just going to leave him sitting there?"
he whispered at his nephew.
A frown crossed Damien's face, then he
noticed that Kayden hadn't moved. The boy still sat on the floor
next to his chair with his head ducked down and his tail curled
tightly around his knees.
"Kayden, come," he commanded, silently
praising the boy when he instantly jumped to his feet to obey.
As the boy scurried across the room to
Damien's side, he noticed the instant that things were going to go
horribly wrong.
The boy's foot caught on the sagging baggy
pants and suddenly Kayden was hurling toward the king. Damien tried
to catch the boy, but the king's guard was quicker, grabbing his
neko by the hair and yanking him back.
Damien heard the ominous slide of daggers
being released before he was able to stop them and saw the wide
fearful emerald eyes as a blade slipped to his boy's neck.
"No!" he shouted, halting all the guards,
even his own.
"Stop!" the king barked as well from behind
the guard who'd stepped protectively in front of him. "Let the boy
go," he ordered. "He just tripped."
The guards looked suitably chagrinned at
overreacting to the non-threat. The guard holding Kayden released
his grip and the boy crumpled to the floor. The guard nudged him
with the toe of his boot. "Apologize to your king," he
demanded.
Damien glared as he stepped forward and
pulled the shaking boy up to his feet. He curled Kayden against his
chest, protecting his slave from further terror. He was nearly
drowned in the overwhelming need to protect this little neko who
had been entrusted to his care that he almost growled at the
guards.
"I will apologize for him, since he's my
slave," Damien stated, knowing the boy would never be able to find
his voice in his current state. "Your Majesty, my humblest
apologies for Kayden's mistake. He meant no harm."
King Eudon hid his smile, nodding suitably to
accept. He noticed the young boy's head nod against Damien's
chest.
"Of course he didn't," the king smiled.
Damien's hand slid over the back of Kayden
head in that soothing manner that neither of them seemed to be
aware was happening, but the king grinned again.
"Duke Whitmore, thank you again for your
hospitality," Eudon said. "And be mindful of your little companion.
He seems to be a little, um, tense."
Damien groaned slightly as Harrison hid a
chuckle behind his hand. "You have no idea, your majesty."
Five days after the king's visit, Kayden was
slowly beginning to find some comfort in the master's routine.
They'd mainly stay in the study or dining room when they weren't in
the master's suite. After dinner with the other masters, Damien
would send Kayden up to the bedroom to bathe while he checked in
the with kitchen, slave den, and guard barracks. Two days ago, he'd
spent the day in the kitchen again, huddled in the corner by the
hearth when his master had gone riding again.
It had been two weeks since he'd been given
to Damien as a gift, and he was finally starting to get used to the
man's abrupt manner. He wasn't as easily startled by his master's
sudden movements in the study, even if he was still anxious around
new people and changes in the routine. He tried to stay quiet and
unassuming, so as not to draw attention to himself and risk being
hurt, and so far it seemed to be working. The loud, smelly master
hadn't bothered him again, other than just being loud and making
snide comments.
And he was feeling more relaxed than ever
before. He craved contact that wasn't painful, and his master's
small touches to pet his head, stroke his back, caress his nape
over the last week had been excruciatingly pleasant.
****
Damien had sent the boy up to the room after
the dinner meal as he usually did, so the boy could bathe and
prepare for bed, while Damien took his brief walk around the house,
checking that everything was in order. It was a ridiculous habit
that he'd started after his father died, worrying that he was doing
everything right, as his father would want him to. It was an
unnecessary exercise now, as his staff and brothers had stepped up
to help assure that the house ran smoothly without much of his
interference.
So when Damien returned to his room, he could
hear the water still splashing in the washroom. He had Drystan
start a fire in the fireplace as the air was had been chilled the
last couple nights, and Kayden seemed to enjoy the extra warmth. He
settled himself on the couch with his whiskey and a book.