Blayr lead an assault on a bandit stronghold. These brigands looted and killed at random from poverty stricken villages to prosperous towns. The Snarling Wolf snapped at their heels, finally clashing with them at the foot of the mountains. In the midst of the most desperate fighting the jaguar ran away. Blayr went after it, leaving Samein and the remaining guard hard pressed to keep the enemy from cutting him down. The jaguar placed himself at the side of a young man fighting frantically to protect two women from the bandits. He was dressed in ragged tunic and peasant trousers, and was reduced to using a broken tree limb. Blayr’s small party beat back the bandits with renewed vigor and the prince left Joel and Harro to guard the peasants while he returned to rally his troops. He gave no quarter to scum, remembering the bodies of the dead and the wailing of the few survivors. Much later, the fearful trio were admitted to the prince’s presence. He sat on a low stool while Khalil oiled and massaged his aching body. The jaguar curled at his feet, panting softly as the prince scratched the favorite spot beneath its chin. The women cowered before him, but the man stood defiantly.
Blayr surprised them by speaking their language, although with an atrocious accent. The man scowled at the nobleman and said something virulent causing the prince to flush crimson. Blayr spoke again, waiting impatiently for a response. The man scoffed. The prince stood up speaking sharply. Khalil scolded Blayr for loosing his temper snagging his arm to hold him away. The peasant was surprised the slave was not punished for acting so boldly. The slave yanked on one of Blayr’s wild curls. Blayr knocked the hand aside and curtly dismissed the trio. When the peasants left the tent Blayr turned on his critical slave. Snagging Khalil by the hips, the prince kissed him breathless, released his member from confinement and swallowed it. Effectively ending Khalil’s criticisms for the day.
Later that evening Rafe conferred with the Tiger Clan chieftain by drawing pictures in the dirt and hand signs. The next morning he allowed slaves to trim his brown hair, arch his brows, oil his skin and drape him in the red silk of the Chosen. His mother and sister would be left in care of a family which owed the prince a favor. He had rescued their children from enslavement in a brothel. Rafe’s mother wept bitterly when he rode away. He dared not tell her or anyone else his intention to never spill his blood on the altar.
The king was pleased that another Chosen had been obtained even if he was a peasant, so the court celebrated. Rafe went to weapons training everyday. By the end of his first year another guard had been returned to the ranks.
Ambassadors were arriving from some far flung territory. They hoped to negotiate and spare their people slaughter. They hoped that offers to share their wealth and part of the land would appease Buthus. The king expected Blayr to be there and so he made sure to array his entourage befitting his Snarling Wolf persona. Many provinces sent envoys hoping to obtain a boon from the Snarling Wolf even as they petitioned his father not to eliminate their lands and people.
Blayr wore low slung harem pants of transparent linen dyed to match his eyes. A silver belt stamped with the snarling wolf encircled his slim hips. His russet hair was pulled back and clasped high at the back of his head. The riotous curls tumbled down his back swinging slowly from side to side when he walked. Long feathered earrings, shades of blue and silver graced his ears. His chest was bare except for the silver wolf’s head dangling from one nipple. A band of silver encircled his neck stamped with the wolf. The eyes were rubies however to denote his status as Chosen Above All Others. His wrist guards were silver as well stamped with the ruby eyed wolf.
His personal guard was attired in silver all but one wearing a ruby studded choker. Khalil would attend him. As usual the slave was dressed in black and gold, his outfit a match for Blayr’s. Sleek velvet hair was parted in the middle, falling in unadorned waves to his waist. Tiny diamonds had been placed for eyes in the golden wolf painted on his forehead and he wore a golden wolf dangling from each nipple. He did not wear the color designating him Chosen. When they entered the room all eyes fixed on them. They moved with languid grace through the great hall, stopping frequently to be admired, cajoled and flattered. As was the custom among the courtiers, Khalil was layered with necklaces, the rare and most precious of stones, gifts from his ardent admirers. Blayr lay his hand on Khalil’s lower back and Harro drew his sword scattering the fawning crowd like quail. With barely concealed disgust, the guard lifted the offerings from the slave’s shoulders. Blair gave the group one more baleful glance, knowing that they would believe him displeased with their jewels. He stroked the back of his love slave in comforting circles. The couple went to rest on the dais situated five steps below and to the right of Blayr’s father. The prince draped himself against Kahlil’s chest and stroked his lover’s knee propped against the back of the long couch. Blayr’s slaves arranged their hair and limbs for comfort. Avid eyes hungered after beauty that was denied them. When their duties were complete the men and women who served, pressed their faces into the floor in anticipation of the king’s arrival.
Buthus entered the court with only his Chosen for escort. When he sat down on the throne, Blayr’s slaves went about the business of serving refreshment.
Foreign envoys were always fooled at first sight of the prince. They could not believe that the indolent figure could be the Snarling Wolf, heir to the Drinker of Blood. The scars upon his body were faint due to the constant application of herbal remedies and pure oils. But the calluses on his hands would have reassured the greatest skeptic. Buthus had not raised a fop.
With minimum fanfare, the new envoys were admitted to the hall. Three men dressed in dull colored robes escorted an older male with some sort of badge of office pinned to his slightly more colorful attire. Palace slaves carried a chest filled with coin and scrolls, an offering to the king. Voices began to rise at the appearance of the final envoy. Obviously female, she walked alone dressed in strange armor of green yellow cast. It appeared to be small scales like snakeskin and covered her from throat to toes. She was fair and her auburn hair was cut in a curly cap around her ears. Freckles sprinkled her nose. Blayr felt the heart of his lover speed up. He looked over his shoulder and saw that Khalil’s eyes were focused on the female arriving at the foot of the dais. He noted with regret the time had come for Khalil to follow the soul call. The prince had long desired the slave see only him when that moment came.
The king’s spokesman announced the group from Ula and named the woman Megyn, follower of the Great Wyrm. Before the king could speak Blayr was standing, Khalil at his side. All sound ceased in the room. The king advised the men to approach. They climbed the steps to the king’s feet. Buthus listened intently, but he never took his regard from his son. The men told of their willingness to gift Buthus with seaport access and the use of their shipbuilding expertise, in exchange they would ask his assistance in ending the abomination of the Wyrm. At the bottom of the steps Megyn howled in outrage and charged forward. One of the men turned, but when the blade he threw sank into flesh it was Khalil’s. Blayr made no sound, just rushed to his lover’s side. Slaves lifted Khalil from the floor and swiftly removed him for treatment. Blayr remained, standing unaware of the slaves cleansing the blood from his hands and chest.
Megyn stepped forward and spoke to the prince. He did not know her language, but it was easy to see her contrition. Blayr was in a state of shock. For the first time he faced the loss of the only person he held more dear than his life. He placed a trembling hand on her shoulder. He pointed to the silver collar on his neck and then to the crimson attired Chosen who awaited his father’s pleasure. He gestured to the sword at Samein’s side then pointed to himself. Megyn turned to the envoys from Ula speaking sharply. The older man ran stumbling to the prince and quickly explained to the woman what the prince wanted. He hoped his assistance would somehow make up for the disastrous actions of his assistant. Her face paled. She looked at the Drinker of Blood and the ambassador, all enemies of her Mother. She looked into the eyes of the man whose lover may be dying in her stead. Finally she went to one knee and Blayr removed the silver torque from his neck and fastened it around hers. He directed her to stand at Samein’s side. When she did Blayr approached his father’s throne.
"I have Chosen father. I have Chosen the Five."
Then he whispered, "The beast must come. I wait for the beast. He is the culmination. He is the end of all things."
For one moment Buthus did not know what to say. He would need time to consider. So he asked his son if he wished to call a blood debt against the ambassadors. The court waited with bated breath for the answer.
"If I called a blood debt, Ula would be burned to the ground. Not one ship not one warehouse would survive. I would see to it that the earth was razed and sown with salt. Ula would be a name forgotten. You say you come in peace, yet what is mine lies dying. Were there other blades intended for my father treacherous dogs, for me? Which fool among the guard allowed them to pass with weapons!?"
Blayr’s voice had risen until it was a scream of rage. He began to shake in earnest. Just enough control remained to remove himself from his father’s presence before he lost it all. He forced himself to bow and his guard escorted him away, leaving Buthus to consider the faith of Ula and, not to be overlooked, the careless palace guardsmen.
Once inside his quarters Blayr flung himself through the rooms until he reached Kahlil’s bedside. His lover lay still as death and the prince could not hold back a cry of despair. Slaves rushed to reassure him that Kahlil would recover. Blair called his guard to see his lover was undisturbed by the terminally curious courtiers. He retired to his own rooms, sleeping alone for the first time in years. For the next few weeks he wandered his quarters barely eating and unable to sleep. Samein became his shadow, steering him away from balcony edges and making sure he was at least bathed and presentable when the king arrived. Buthus was concerned until he remembered the words Blayr spoke to him that day in the great hall. He knew that Blayr would recover. It was even possible he was pretending such devotion to a slave to strengthen his Chosen’s devotion.
Megyn was knowledgeable in the healing arts and the household came to appreciate her abilities when Khalil developed a fever and Blayr finally needed to be drugged to get him to rest.
As soon as he was able to stand, Khalil went to his prince. They spoke in private for many hours and Khalil returned to his own rooms with tears in his eyes.
After that day Blayr’s household closed tightly around him. None of the slaves went into other areas of the palace without escort. No one but the king was admitted. Khalil eventually returned to his duties, but Harro, the jaguar or both accompanied him at all times. No one dared ask him any questions. Megyn began weapons training and taught the household the unusual hand to hand combat moves she knew. It involved a lot of kicking and rolling around on the ground. Harro and Joel had a good laugh until they were getting up from the floor with sore heads and bottoms. Rafe was an avid student because he did not have the physical strength to beat any man of the Tiger Clan. Eventually Blayr trained with them and slowly seemed to return to the less contained young man he had been. No one was surprised when he threatened to behead any palace guard that failed in his duty as Blayr saw it.
It was three months before he was seen outside the palace. He left his quarters, roused his lazy troop and went out to campaign. His five rode with him and Khalil oversaw his caravan as always. Now, however, Khalil had his own tent and Megyn shared it.