Home Ground (Darshian Tales #4)
Page 73
Wepizi leaned forward and rested his forehead on Juimei’s, ignoring the fact that they weren’t in private, and the smirk he just knew was on Nuveize’s face.
“No. Relieved. Proud of you. Are you sure you can give up Visiqe and all that?”
“Yes. Because I want it less than I want you, and I believe my true destiny is to bring the Blessed into Andonese life and to restore the damage done not just by the warlords but by our own ignorance. Nuveize and Yikil will help us contact the other Blessed, and talk to them. Neka has been kind enough to give us some advice about that. I want it to be possible for our Blessed to travel to Darshian, for the Darshianese to travel here too and learn. I don’t have to be in Visiqe to make a difference, and...there are compensations. Many, many compensations.”
Wepizi clasped his hand, then—not caring at all who was watching—kissed his prince long and deep right there in front of all of them. The burst of applause he got as the kiss ended, didn’t embarrass him at all.
“Some people,” Juimei said, lifting his eyebrow, his eyes full of hilarity.
“Yes. Jui, may I make a speech of my own?”
“The floor’s yours, tezrei.”
“Ours,” he corrected, tugging Juimei carefully to his feet, as he stood up himself. “Everyone? I don’t suppose I have to tell you how I feel about his highness.”
“Not after that display,” Nuveize said tartly.
He gave her a little bow. “Thank you. Now Jui’s spoken, I can tell him and you what I’d planned to say to him whatever his decision had been—and even if he changes his mind, my own decision still stands. Jui,” he said, turning to his lover. “I will go where you go. If you return to Visiqe, I will be at your side. If you stay here, I’ll be here too as long as you want me to be. I make that vow here before our friends and before the benevolent god.” He turned to face everyone else. “Feel free to remind me of it.”
Romi grinned like a fool. “Told you there was a reason for us being here. Your highness, I know we haven’t eaten, but is there any chance we could get a drink?”
“Of course, captain. The reputation of the Darshianese appetite precedes you.”
Juimei signalled to the footmen at the door, who went off presumably in search of something strong enough to suit Romi’s need to celebrate—and Wepizi’s own, though he was feeling fairly intoxicated just with happiness.
Juimei turned to Wepizi again. “You made this possible. None of this would be happening if not for you.”
“Or you. But it’s Sephiz who’s really behind this.”
“I don’t know about Sephiz. I can’t know about him. But I know about you, and I believe in you.” He lifted Wepizi’s hand and kissed it. “And I’ll always honour the love you have for Lema. I’ll never demand to be placed before her. That I also promise.”
There was no other response to that except to kiss him again, and hold him close, and be so very glad at this second chance for happiness. Even the theatrical coughs and loud comments around them, didn’t convince Wepizi this wasn’t the right thing to do.
“I think they think we should go to my bedroom,” Juimei murmured.
“I think they should enjoy the show,” Wepizi said, grinning. “I should warn you I intend to stay tonight. Just in case you had other plans.”
“I’m almost certain the diary’s clear. You’d really have come to Visiqe?”
“Yes. I’m just very glad not to have to.”
“That seems to be the general feeling.” Juimei closed his eyes and rested contentedly against Wepizi, apparently indifferent to their audience or their surroundings. “Sephiz’s beard, I’m glad that’s all over. I’ll claim that massage from you later. If you want to rub any other bits of me while you’re there, feel free.”
“Then and for the rest of my days, if you’ll have me.”
Juimei looked up at him. “I won’t ask for a promise. But my home will be yours for as long as you want it.”
“As my service will be yours.”
An extra loud throat-clearing made Juimei turn. “That’s a very nasty cough, captain. Perhaps I should get a medic to look at it.”
“Er...I have a medic who can look at it,” Romi said straight-faced. “My own personal healer, in fact. Ow.” He rubbed his side where Karik had poked him less than gently. “I’d really like that drink, Wepizi.”
“Karik, haven’t you taught him any manners yet?”
“I try, but they never seem to stick,“ Karik said, scowling at his lover. “Congratulations, Wepizi—your highness. Ignore captain arse, he was raised by urs beasts.”
“Was he?” Kilinze asked, piping up. “Was he really?”
“Oh yes,” Wepizi said, straight-faced. “Wild ones too. He’ll tell you about it, if you ask nicely.”
“Romi? Will you tell me? I’d like to ride an urs beast.”
Wepizi laughed at the look on Romi’s face, and the innocent smile on Karik’s. He was pretty sure no one would help his rude friend out of this one any time soon.
Under the cover created by Romi being assailed by an eager child, and Romi’s lover encouraging the interrogation, Juimei sat, and pulled Wepizi down beside him.
“That was mean.”
“Yes, it was. But it gets him off my back for five minutes, which is good because, guests or no guests, I want to kiss you again.”
“Carry on, tezrei. You just carry on.”
So he did.
~~~~~
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