Free The Invisible Chains - Part 3: Bonds of Blood by Andrew Ashling

became of them?” Anaxantis asked.
    “Who's to know?” Rodomesh shrugged. “At least they had a fighting chance. By the evening of the first day they were no longer a naked, unarmed group of youngsters. They probably went north, trying to avoid the inhabited territories, hiding by day, deep in the woods, and cautiously advancing during the night. They might have made it. This is all my grandfather told.”
    “Your great-grandfather,” Anaxantis said.
    “Yes, my great-grandfather, who told it to my grandfather, who told it to my father, who told it to me.”
    “The shirma, is it of the same color for a frishiu and a quedash?”
    “No. No, a frishiu wears a... a red one. The quedash a yellow one.”
    “Ah. I see. Well, that was very interesting. Thank you, Rodomesh.”
    The Mukthar looked up, unsure, with pleading eyes.
    “When do you think you might see Timishi?” he asked timidly.
    “Would a note from me do? You could go to him immediately and show it.”
    The Mukthar's face lighted up.
    “That would be... that would be fantastic,” he said. “I don't deserve it though,” he added, hoping to be ignored.
    “No, you don't, but I guess you just tried to be a good beddurouwin. A very mistaken, deluded beddurouwin.”
    Rodomesh sighed.
    “And a stupid one. I know, your highness.”
    Anaxantis took a piece of parchment out of a cupboard and hastily wrote some lines on it. After pouring fine sand upon the sheet to absorb the excess of ink, he folded and sealed it.
    “Here,” he said, handing the closed parchment to Rodomesh. “Give him that.”
    “Thank you, frishiu. I won't forget this.”
    “That's quite all right. Oh, and ask the page at the little table, down the hallway, to bring me another jug of water, will you?”
    Rodomesh flushed.

    Minutes later he knocked at Timishi's door. When the prince opened it he handed him the piece of parchment without speaking a word. He waited patiently while Timishi read it, and his heart missed a beat when he saw him smile.
    “Come in Rodo,” he said, crumpling the parchment.
    “ Before he gives me yet another headache, forgive the poor sod already. I have. A,” it had read.
    “It seems a long time I heard you mention Iramid, Ambrick,” Sterff of Rivrant said casually.
    He, Ambrick, Robrant and Morneck of Miradano were sitting at a table in the Hole. It was early evening.
    “There's just not much to tell,” Ambrick said with a crooked smile. “What can I say? I still have no idea what to do about this affair of ours.”
    “Oh, come on,” Morneck said, “I know several people who would pay a small fortune for a night with Iramid. And he's practically throwing himself at you. What's your problem?”
    “Yes, Ambrick,” Sterff concurred, “what exactly is your problem?”
    Ambrick didn't answer immediately.
    “He's too perfect. Maybe that's it.”
    “I can see you might be afraid that he is leading you on,” Morneck said. “But what does it matter after all?
    Couldn't you just look at it as some amusing little diversion? After all he is quite a catch. Rumor has it he is hung like a horse, and that he has the body of a god. Damn it, man, what is the matter with you? I would love to suck that dick of his, or better still, having that mouth of his suck mine.”
    “Or having his ass take mine,” Sterff snickered. “I think I could fuck him all night long.”
    Morneck and Sterff laughed out loud. After some hesitation Ambrick joined in. Only Robrant didn't.
    “You shouldn't talk about people like that,” the heir of Emling said.
    “What do you know? Don't you have some young girl, not even a noble born one, somewhere in Lorseth Market, you're nuts about?” Sterff asked.
    “What has that got to do with anything? OK, I don't have the same taste as you guys. Still, that is no way to talk about someone. Lorcko has feelings too, you know. And I know all about his reputation. I also know that nobody has seen him with anyone, trying to... trying to get