After Jadis left, Philip turned to Amory. “You’re excited.”
Amory smiled in the way Philip loved, the one that seemed to light up the air around them. “I am. I wasn’t expecting to hear any of that. I’m excited to see what I can do with it, even if it doesn’t end up being much.”
“From what Master Jadis said, it seems like there will be plenty you can do once you learn how.”
“Yes. But I won’t be performing any amazing healing feats.” Amory laughed, but Philip wasn’t sure if he was disappointed.
“Would you want to be a healer if you could?”
Amory shook his head. “No, not really. If I could have, it would have given me a place, somewhere to belong. I never had that in my family’s business.”
“You have it now. You belong right here with me.” He pulled Amory close and kissed him before either of them could think too much about that statement.
Later that night, Amory asked Philip to sleep with him again. Amory’s cheeks flushed when he made the quiet, almost shy, invitation, but his gaze was steady on Philip. “I want to wake up next to you again. Do you….”
“Yes, I want that too.”
Part of Philip wanted to grab Amory up and tumble him into bed, but he thought it best to be careful. So he let them separate to prepare for bed. Last night had been wonderful, and he wanted more like it, but Amory wasn’t experienced. He blushed just asking Philip to spend the night in his bed. Philip needed Amory to be comfortable with him and what they did together. He couldn’t go too fast. He didn’t want to go too fast for himself either. He hadn’t planned to do anything but sleep beside Amory last night, but he didn’t regret what happened. To Philip’s relief, Amory didn’t regret it either.
He knocked softly on Amory’s bedchamber door and walked in to see Amory coming back into the room from his bathing room. Philip swept his gaze up Amory’s body from the bare feet sinking into the thick carpet, to the lithe body attired in the thin white sleep pants and shirt, to the beautiful face and tousled auburn curls. Amory flushed at Philip’s scrutiny, but there was a gleam in his eyes, an almost wicked one, as he looked at Philip in turn.
“Come to bed.”
Philip’s bed was bigger, but Amory’s was comfortable as well. Once they were truly lovers, he would ask Amory to share his bedchamber so they could wake up together every morning. They settled under the covers, Amory rolling naturally into Philip’s arms and pressing against him. Amory lifted his face for a kiss, and Philip obliged him. They kissed lazily for long moments. Philip wouldn’t press for more.
But apparently Amory wasn’t as content with only kisses. He moved restlessly against Philip, his hands caressing Philip’s chest and sides over Philip’s shirt. Philip moaned at the feel of those hands through the thin fabric. He ached, wondering what it would feel like to have those hands all over his skin, to feel Amory’s naked body pressed against his own. He wanted to know, so much. But not that night. He would follow Amory’s lead. Even if Amory’s hesitant caresses killed him.
He groaned as Amory slid down his body and loosened his pants, freeing his hard flesh. Amory studied it for a moment. His hungry gaze felt almost like a touch itself, but Philip needed more, and he barely stopped himself from begging for it. Finally, Amory took him in hand giving him one smooth stroke that had Philip gasping and arching.
Amory bent his head and pressed a kiss to Philip’s member. Philip moaned. Amory looked up at him again. “May I?”
He realized what Amory was asking and bit back a groan. “Oh, yes, please.”
Amory’s expressive eyes held a shadow of insecurity. “I’ve never done this before.”
He stroked his hand through Amory’s hair, trying to soothe. “You don’t have to.”
“I want to. I just don’t know how.”
“You’ll be fine.” He continued to stroke Amory’s hair, loving the feel of the thick, soft locks between his fingers and how Amory leaned into his hand. He grinned. “Go slow. And watch your teeth.”
“I think I could’ve figured that much out on my own, thanks.” Despite the tart words, Amory smiled and turned his head, nuzzling into Philip’s palm before turning back to his task.
That Amory had never done it before was obvious, but he was diligent and enthusiastic, and he was Amory. Philip thought that last might have quite a bit to do with why it felt so very good.
A WEEK later, Amory rode his horse at Philip’s side. He’d half expected his father to demand the horse back, but he hadn’t, not yet. Amory hadn’t heard much from his father since he came to live at the palace. He’d only seen him once—the day the completed chandelier was delivered, executed perfectly and within the extra time Philip had granted them. Amory didn’t want to think what Philip would have done if it hadn’t been. Philip hadn’t forgiven what Amory’s father tried to do to Amory, and truthfully, neither had Amory, but they rarely spoke of it.
But he wasn’t going to think about his father at the moment. A few nights ago, while they’d been lying in bed together, his head pillowed on Philip’s chest, Philip asked Amory to accompany him to Alzata. Philip had told him a lot about the estate, but they hadn’t had the opportunity to make the trip before. Philip’s calendar was light the next couple of days so they could stay over at Alzata and return to the palace before Amory’s classes at the university began.
Alzata was only a few hours ride from the palace so Philip would not be out of touch, but Philip still seemed excited to go. Amory knew Philip wanted to show him his much-loved estate, but he thought Philip also wanted to get away. The last week had been a difficult one for Philip, involving complex trade negotiations with Kavalas that Amory didn’t entirely understand the nuances of. And he knew the high-ranking nobles of Tournai were vehemently split on those issues. All of them wanted Philip’s time and Philip’s agreement, and Philip’s uncle Umber was constantly there as well, pressuring Philip to agree with him on what was to be done. Amory could see the toll it took on Philip. His face and body were tight with tension, and he was exhausted by the end of each day but had trouble sleeping. Amory knew, because they spent every night together, though Philip had been too tired to do more than kiss since the negotiations began in earnest.
Amory wanted to help Philip and was frustrated that he didn’t know how. It made him more determined to learn as much as he could so he could at least listen to Philip intelligently. Until he could, he tried to be there as an ear to listen, a distraction, a quiet presence. He took to rubbing Philip’s shoulders and temples to ease the tension and pain gathered in those places, and he held Philip close at night. Amory only hoped some of what he did lightened the burden weighing on Philip.
Alzata was the obvious choice to get away during the short break in the negotiations. From everything Philip told him, Amory knew Alzata was Philip’s favorite place, where he went to escape from the world. He was honored Philip asked him to accompany him. But when Philip said it would be just the two of them without Elodie or Cathal or anyone else, he began to wonder if Philip’s only motivation was to get away. Did Philip also want time alone with him?
Whatever it meant, Amory liked the idea of uninterrupted time with Philip. Away from secretaries who came in during breakfast and uncles who provoked frustration and the all-seeing eyes of the nobles of Tournai, some of whom were clearly less than approving of Amory. He could only hope Philip’s decision to bring him meant he helped ease Philip’s burdens in some way.
“Almost there,” Philip said, breaking into his thoughts.
Since Alzata was so close, they’d chosen to go on horseback instead of by carriage. A cart had traveled ahead with their bags, so it was just them riding through the countryside. Well, and the royal guards, but they were fairly unobtrusive. The guards’ presence didn’t spoil a ride with Philip on a clear, sunny day.
To Amory’s relief, Philip relaxed more and more the farther they traveled from the palace, his whole body far less rigid than when they left. Philip smiled as he talked and pointed out various
landmarks they passed. Amory hadn’t spent much time outside Jumelle, so he eagerly listened to all Philip said and soaked up the sight of the beautiful countryside. Summer was beginning, and everything was lush, green, and blooming. A huge field of deep purple flowers nearly took his breath away. Under the vibrant blue sky, they were especially striking. He had to stop and stare, noticing then the sun shimmering on the river and the rolling green hills beyond. When he realized Philip and the guards were waiting for him, he turned to Philip to apologize, but Philip had a soft, affectionate look in his eyes, and the apology died on Amory’s lips.
They turned off the main road onto a smaller, though still paved, lane. Large old trees formed a canopy overhead, letting dappled sunlight fall on them as they rode under the lattice of arching branches. The lane led them to a tall stone wall with wide gates of iron worked in a lacy design with the royal crest in the center. After Philip’s revelations, the cats in the crest had taken on new meaning for Amory. The guards at the gate jumped to swing them open in welcome.
Philip flashed a wide grin at Amory, eagerness written all over his face, and urged his horse forward into a brisk trot. Amory nearly laughed. Philip’s excitement to be there and to show him the place he loved was endearing.
The road, paved in intricate patterns of many-colored stones, wound through dense stands of large, shady trees. The trees were old, their trunks wide, their roots prominent. The pattern of light and shadow under those limbs made Amory itch to grab up his sketchbook. Perhaps he would have time to sketch in the small wood, if not on that visit, then someday. If he was fortunate enough to come back again.
Suddenly, the trees ended, and everything opened up on a vista of sweeping lawns that spread in lush, vivid green down to the house. The house. He couldn’t hold back a gasp when he saw it. It was large, but not obscenely so, and graceful in design with its turrets and interesting roofline. It seemed to sparkle a rosy gold in the midday sun. He stopped to look at it, aware of Philip grinning a bit smugly beside him.
“It’s beautiful, Pip, but what is doing that?”
“It’s a local stone and very rare now. No one has been able to find more of it to mine in two generations at least. This was one of the last buildings constructed of it.”
“How does it do it?”
“No one knows. It’s a deep shade of gray when the sun isn’t shining on it, but when the sun does shine, it comes alive. Sparkles or shimmers, and in the moonlight it glows.”
“Maybe it’s magic.” It felt a bit like magic.
“Maybe. Come. I’ll show you the inside.”
Alzata’s servants took the horses, and he entered the house at Philip’s side. The entry hall was impressive with high ceilings, inlaid marble floors, and a sweeping staircase leading up to the second floor. Corridors branched off the entry in three directions, but Philip started for the stairs.
“Why don’t we get cleaned up, and then I’ll show you around?” Philip asked.
“All right.” They climbed the stairs together to the second floor corridor. The floors there were wood, polished to a gleam, and the walls were adorned with tapestries and paintings, mostly landscapes and seascapes. Philip led the way to the left at the top of the stairs. Amory kept pace with him as he looked around with interest.
Philip stopped at a door near the end of a corridor. He turned and looked at Amory, his expression hesitant. “This is my bedchamber. Our chambers adjoin each other. They connect through the shared bathing room.”
Amory nodded. They shared a suite at the palace. Using adjoining rooms here wouldn’t be strange for them. That couldn’t be what Philip was worried about.
“The servants have probably already unpacked our things into the two rooms. But I was hoping you would share my room while we’re here. Only if you want to.”
“I want to,” he said without thought. Then he did think about it, and he knew why Philip seemed hesitant. They had been sharing a bed for the last several nights, but that was different from officially sharing a bedchamber, even for a short while. Sharing a bedchamber was a step, a step toward something more. Something more intimate. Some long-married couples among the upper classes and nobility didn’t share a bedchamber.
They were sharing a bed already. He liked that they were, and he wanted to keep doing so. Maybe that was all he should worry about.
He smiled at Philip, who still looked a little unsure. “I want to.”
“I’m glad.”
He opened the door and ushered Amory into the bedchamber. His feet sank into the dark green carpet with his first step. The room wasn’t as large as either of their bedchambers back at the palace, but it looked comfortable, cozy even. Two plush chairs faced the fireplace in a small sitting area, and a large bed dominated one wall. He tried not to think about what they might do in that bed—the fleeting images his imagination conjured before he pushed them away were enough to wash heat through his body.
He resolutely focused on the rest of the room. Comfortable furniture and luxurious fabrics, none of it overly formal or ostentatious, quite like their suite at the palace. He was coming to expect the style from Philip.
“The bathing room and dressing room are through here,” Philip told him, leading the way through another door. “And the other bedchamber is beyond them.”
Amory followed Philip into the bathing room, which he saw was even larger than his bathing room back at the palace. Probably to accommodate the massive sunken tub. Tiled in an intricate pattern of different greens and located in front of a large window, it looked as though it could fit three people without a problem. He had never seen anything like it.
Philip walked into the adjacent dressing room. “I’m going to change.”
“Me too.” But before he followed Philip to see what had been done with his clothes, he opened the door to the bedchamber that would have been his. The room was similar to Philip’s but decorated in a sage green instead of the darker shade. A nice room, but he didn’t regret his choice. Closing the door, he followed Philip into the dressing room.
They changed into fresh clothes and washed their hands and faces to get rid of the dust of the road. They didn’t bother taking the time to bathe then, though Amory was intrigued by the large tub. He supposed he would have a chance to try it out soon enough.
Philip took his hand as they walked out of the bedchamber together. Philip showed him the house first. It was much larger than the house where Amory had grown up in the city but far less formal than he expected a royal residence to be. Decorated in rich, warm colors and filled with interesting art and excellent examples of Tournai’s traditional glasswork, some new, some much older, the house was exquisite. For all that, it obviously wasn’t meant as a showpiece, as a place for lavish parties and social posturing, but as a place of comfort and coziness and home. It also became obvious that Philip truly did love being at Alzata.
Philip walked Amory through the whole house, not only showing him the rooms but telling him stories. Some of the stories from Philip’s childhood had him laughing out loud. Others made him feel a glow of affection for the child Philip. He loved hearing all of them, and the feeling of closeness with Philip that knowing those pieces of his childhood created. After walking through the house, Philip led him outside onto a large terrace at the back of the house. Awnings shaded half of it from the sun, and comfortable lounging furniture was placed in both sun and shade, creating a pleasant place to while away an afternoon. One of the chaises looked large enough to hold him and Philip together. He was interested to see if he was right about that.
But Philip seemed intent on the tour, so Amory followed him down the steps and into a small formal garden. Bright flowers bloomed, nearly overflowing their beds. Statues peeked out from behind ornamental trees and bushes, and a fountain burbled in the center. The garden was a fraction of the size of the palace gardens, but Amory thought he liked it better. It felt more intimate, and again less pretentious.
The garden ended in a lawn dotted with wil
dflowers sweeping down to a lake. More trees surrounded the lake on its other sides, blocking his view of whatever was beyond that. They wandered down to the near side of the lake, and stopped there. Amory breathed deep, taking in the rich scents of grass, flowers, and earth.
“The land continues out from here. There are some good trails through the wood and around the lake for walking and some for riding,” Philip said. “Maybe tomorrow we can go for a ride and I can show you more. I’ve always enjoyed riding here. There’s plenty of space.”
“I’d like that.” He liked the pure pleasure and calm on Philip’s face, as if being at Alzata soothed him. If he could, he would bring Philip there all the time, just for that.
“So?” Philip grinned. “What do you think of Alzata?”
“It’s beautiful. I can see why you love it. I think I’m going to love it here too.” Not because of Alzata’s beauty, but because Alzata was Philip’s refuge, the place Philip felt most comfortable and himself. He could feel some of it already.
“I’m glad.” Philip was still smiling as he reached out for Amory’s waist, pulling him close against Philip’s chest. Philip brushed his lips over Amory’s lightly. “I want you to like it here.”
Amory kissed Philip, a light little kiss like the ones Philip had been giving him. “I do. I can’t wait to see more.”
Philip leaned in for a longer, deeper kiss as they stood in the sunshine.
Chapter 7
THE EVENING was warm, so Philip instructed the servants to serve dinner at a small table on the terrace. The sun was setting when they sat down to eat, turning the sky to pink and orange over the trees and the lake to shimmering gold. The food was delicious, if simpler than that served at the palace. Servants brought each course and then disappeared into the house, as Philip preferred whenever possible. It was Philip who refilled their wine glasses as they ate and talked.
The sun sank farther, and the pink and orange of the sky gave way to purples and dark blue. Servants returned to light candles placed around the terrace, on the stone rails, on the tables, even some on the stone floor. They disappeared without a word, leaving the terrace lit with a soft, flickering glow. He and Philip finished their dessert, a sweet berry tart, but didn’t leave the table. Amory was content to sit and watch Philip in the golden light, to listen to him tell more stories and to answer his questions about Amory’s own childhood favorite places.
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