The Castellan by Megan Derr

Author:Megan Derr [Derr, Megan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay, fantasy, Romance
Publisher: Megan Derr
Published: 2020-11-08T16:00:00+00:00

*~*~*

By the time dinner ended, everyone was in a much better mood, which was all Bedros could have asked for. Whatever problems they were facing, the greater burden of them should be on no shoulders but his.

When he'd finished the last of his beer, he dragged himself to his feet. "I suppose I should be off to bed, so I'm awake bright and early for whatever Vare and his cronies throw at us next."

To his surprise, Warren rose with him, hooking an arm through his. "Ending the night early, are we, husband?" His smirk made the double entendre clear, to the delighted laughter of the entire hall.

Bedros rolled his eyes, but smiled in reply. "There won't even be a beginning if you keep that up."

They departed chased by laughter and ribald comments, and it was all too easy to believe, for a single, brief, bittersweet moment, that this was his life—a loving husband, happy people, not a single care in the world.

Truth returned in the next breath, of course, but Bedros left the old wounds to deal with later. For the present, he simply enjoyed Warren on his arm, the smile that lingered on his face, despite the fact he must hate everything about his current situation.

They walked in silence for a couple of minutes, until they were in the quieter portions of the castle, and Warren asked, "So how do you spend your days when they're not in upheaval?"

"How does any noble spend his days? I read reports, I hold audience to deal with problems, I ride about the territory as weather permits, so on and so forth. Surely it's not so different at your end of the kingdom?"

"No, it's not, actually, save that I spend some of my days on boats, though normally my presence is far too required for me to isolate myself thus. I hadn't thought I'd care for your colder climes, but I can see the appeal they would hold for those who can endure the cold, even if I've not been here very long."

Bedros smiled. "Wait until it snows. Everything here revolves around winter, so while the rest of the world sleeps in the cold, in the mountains we thrive. Which reminds me…" His smiled dropped. "You have perhaps a couple of weeks before you're essentially snowbound for the season."

"I knew what I was getting into, as much as anyone can. I didn't come here blindly."

"I know, but people who come here thinking they're prepared often realize they're not remotely ready for being snowed into a single place for months on end. This year is going to be especially bad. It's entirely possible we won't be able to leave the keep, let alone the grounds, for weeks at a time."

"Still sounds, broadly at least, more survivable than being becalmed for days on end. We were nearly out of food, stuck in the doldrums, when the wind at last picked up again. I think seafaring has at least as many stories of humans eating their fellows as your mountains.

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