I laughed at his nonsense as he bowed before me.
“What shall I tell the King of your progress, should he ask?” Seton asked as he rose.
“You must tell him nothing! You have not seen me. It would be treason if he knew you’d seen his garment! Say nothing of the vest, for no one is to know of it before he wears it.”
“What nonsense these laws are! How can a man be judged by his clothing?” Seton exclaimed before he gathered himself together and prepared to leave.
I shrugged my acquiescence. “Perhaps there will be a time when what one wears is not dictated by any law but I am discouraged to hope for much.”
Seton’s brow furrowed as though he wished to say more.. “I will leave the rest of my fruit for you. There is cheese and bread left and perhaps an apple or apricots. If I find anything more substantial, I will steal it to you.”
“I am not a prisoner, but diligent. If I wished I could summon one of Duir’s servants and they would bring me meat and sweets. It is only because I am harboring you, I daren’t,” I joked.
“You are a good man and I leave you now to your good work.” He went to the door to leave.
I averted my eyes from him and had luckily gathered the vest to me in my lap because when he opened the door, Cale stood before him.
“What goes on in here?” Cale boomed as he pushed past Seton.
“My Lord,” Seton started to say, but was interrupted by a brusque and silencing wave of Cale’s hand.
“I care not to hear from you, musician, get you gone. I only can imagine why you are in this room with the King’s tailor.”
I stood and managed to cover the vest with a spare piece of another fabric. It would have been disastrous for both of us if Cale suspected Seton had seen Duir’s vest.
Seton’s eyes caught mine. I could see his concerned hesitation to leave plain on his face. “My Lord, Cale, I must tell you—”
“I will not repeat myself. Be gone before I think better of letting you walk from this place.” His voice took on a threatening timber. “Close the door behind you.”
I couldn’t nod, couldn’t respond in any physical way for fear of Cale catching my actions. This would only aggravate an already fragile situation.
Seton must have sensed this, for he bowed and removed himself from the room. The door shut with cold finality. From deep within, I felt a chill threaten to seize my heart.
Uncertainty swelled within me. My fists were clenched tightly at my sides.
“Well, Tailor, what answer do you have for a vagrant musician to be in this room with you?”
I could smell ale on him, and realized celebration and drink had probably taken its toll on his being.
This could save you, I thought. He’s drunk, and everyone knows Cale is unsteady at best when in his cups.
Think, my mind cautioned. Be careful. Be clever.
“His nerves drove him to seek my counsel. He sought my ear to display the tune he’d composed for Duir’s coronation feast, nothing more.” Despite the hot rage I longed to expel on the hulking, swarthy man whose eyes gleamed ominously before me, I remained calm.
“Hmmph,” he grunted and moved closer to me. The heat of his body, the smell of his sweat made me want to pull away, but I held firm. My years with Duir had not only left me privy to his actions, but to the secrets of his men. Cale was a beast, but one you mustn’t turn from, you must maintain your ground no matter the situation. I’d seen him tear many a fighter apart in the Summer Games.
“You surely can’t imagine I would do anything to betray His Grace, My Lord Cale. It is only as I said—”
He moved even closer. “You know, tailor,” his voice cut past mine like a knife through butter. “I don’t know what you do. Perhaps it was some deviant way the musician led you.” He thrust a meaty hand to my chest.
Unprepared for this action, I fell onto the seat. I winced as I felt my weight fall on the vest. I was about to protest when I realized Cale stood before me with an erection. His face was that of a leering jackal. Fear crept up from my stomach.
“Perhaps, while the cats away the mice will indeed play,” he muttered. The same hand that pushed me now found his erection and gripped it with ferocious need.
“Cale.” His name sounded like a confused plea. This couldn’t be happening. It wasn’t rational, sane, or possible and yet I watched his fingers roughly begin to pull at the laces on his breeches.
“I’ve always felt you were beyond your place in this court,” Cale spat, ignoring my plea. “You may be friends with a king but you are only a servant,” he concluded with a final yank on the front of his pants and his cock sprung free, hard, angry-red and glistening with pearly wetness. “Now I’m going to show you where your place is.”
Confusion and shock was making me tremble. “You mustn’t.”
I felt my fists begin to lift. If I dare hit him, it would be my end, but if I did nothing…
“You dare tell me what I mustn’t do?” he barked, as he stroked his cock with one hand while the other recoiled as if he intended to strike me.
“Please,” I added quickly. “There was nothing amiss, it was as I told you, I—”
It was a mistake to speak for it unleashed some coil within his being and before I could finish the sentence, the hand hurtled towards me. I braced myself against the chair but instead of an impact, I felt the crushing force of his hand around my throat. I gasped and felt saliva spray from my mouth as he throttled me.
“Stop speaking, you pig, you rotten deviant, hiding your lust behind
