Glimpses Read Free Page B

duke’s rooms.”
    “Thank you.” It was hard to speak with a lump
in your throat. Korathan and his sisters were really the only
friends he had in this wretched place, and he seldom got to see
them. The queen was kind and the princesses were pleasant, but only
the prince sought him out.
    He knew Korathan must have seen that he’d
been crying, but the prince didn’t say anything. Seregil deeply
appreciated that. Instead, Korathan talked about a new horse his
father had given him while Seregil ate. Between the food and the
companionship, Seregil began to feel a little better.
    “Say, after we get those papers delivered, we
could go back to my rooms and play some bakshi,” Korathan offered.
“You’ve almost got the hang of it.”
    Seregil managed a smile. “You’re a good
teacher.”
    When he was finished eating, he blew out the
lamp again and they set off together. There were still many nobles
strolling the halls and they all bowed respectfully to the prince,
who mostly ignored them as he told Seregil more about the strategy
of the game. Seregil got a few curious looks, as he always did.
He’d heard there were other ‘faie in the city, but he was the only
one in the palace, and a bit of a mystery. Or perhaps it was seeing
the prince with a lowly junior scribe. Still, with Korathan beside
him, Seregil didn’t feel so lonely and out of place.
    The scriptorium was in a wing of the
sprawling palace reserved for various functionaries like Emidas.
After several twists and turns, however, they entered the palace
proper, where there were tapestries on the walls and carpets on the
floor. These did little soften the dour ugliness of the place, to
Seregil’s eye.
    “I know a short cut,” Korathan said, taking
him by the hand and leading him out into a very large, dark garden.
The pathways had been cleared, but snow lay deep on either
side.
    As they headed for a lighted doorway on the
far side, Korathan didn’t let go of Seregil’s hand. He was wearing
a wool surcoat and boots. Seregil was shivering in his cloak and
slippers. It was a long way across this garden.
    “You’re cold. I’m sorry. Maybe we shouldn’t
have come this way.” Korathan stopped and put an arm around
Seregil’s shoulders. “Is that better?”
     

     
    “That’s all right. We’re almost there.” Seregil
started to walk but Korathan’s arm tightened around his shoulders,
holding him fast.
    Then the one-armed embrace became a two-armed
hug. “You’re miserable here, aren’t you?”
    In all the time Seregil had been here, no one
had ever asked him that. Or hugged him. A feeling very akin to
relief welled up in his heart, and he nodded as he hugged him
back.
    Korathan stroked Seregil’s hair, then kissed
him gently on the forehead. “I’ll speak to Mother.”
    “Thank you!”
    Korathan looked down at him for a moment, the
kissed him on the lips. It lasted too long for a family kiss.
Seregil froze, not knowing what to do.
    “Why did you do that?” he asked when Korathan
was finished.
    “You didn’t like it?”
    “I—uh—” Korathan’s arms were still around him
but he released Seregil when he stepped back to collect his
thoughts. “I didn’t know that you liked men.”
    “I heard you do.”
    Seregil had guessed there might be rumors
about him, but not that. Then again, the queen knew the whole
sordid story. Maybe she’d told Korathan? “What else did you hear?”
he demanded, angry now.
    “Just that you’re here because of something
that happened with a lover. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have
presumed—”
    “Is that all you heard?”
    “Yes! Seregil, I’m sorry. It’s just that you
look so sad all the time.”
    Seregil pushed past him and started back the
way they’d come. “I don’t need your pity!”
    “It’s not pity!” Korathan called after him.
“I like you.”
    The words, and the sincerity with which they
were spoken surprised Seregil in equal measure. Turning, he looked
back at the prince, who was