“He was a woodcutter. I would have done that too if he hadn’t died. I lived with my Aunt and ended up working at the local general shop until she died.”
“Hm. You’re a bit neat for a village boy and a drifter.”
“Did you expect me to be a slob?”
“No. You don’t quite talk like a northern Morian either.”
Jaime shrugged. “I’ve been around. Accents change. I’ve spent more time in the south in the past few years, and I’ve had eleven years to roam.”
True. Perhaps that was it. A man could also observe how others dressed and copy it. Then again, perhaps he was fibbing, and he’d been the son of a rich merchant or something like that, and he’d run away. Perhaps the reasoning was too embarrassing to say outright, and he didn’t want to talk about it. Or he was telling the truth and just a bit odd in Aleric’s eyes.
“I used to play with the Baron’s son quite a bit,” said Jaime. “I wouldn’t say their accent was refined because we were just a little place in the middle of nowhere by the river, but I think I picked up a lot from them. I used to eat meals with them and watch what they did too.”
“What have you planned to do with your life overall?”
“I’ll settle with an abundant male and have kids. I’m not sure what job I’ll do, but I’ll make sure I can support us.”
“Only an abundant male?”
“I’m not into women, and I really want kids. If I don’t find one to marry, I guess I won’t have kids or we’ll think about adoption.”
“You could get a consort for a child.”
“I won’t sleep with anyone else once I’m married, and neither will my husband. I couldn’t stand the thought of him doing iteven for a kid, and my dick won’t be going near anyone except my spouse.”
Having a consort for children was considered fine in society, and it was usually women who did the job. Not every couple was all right with it, and that was all right too. Some people simply can’t fathom sex with another after marriage. Aleric didn’t care either way since he figured he’d never get married. He used to want marriage and kids.
“For the matter at hand, are you just going to coast along until you end up dead? Lord Gautier isn’t going to stop. I don’t want to leave and later find out through gossip that you’re dead.”
“If I figure out something…” What was he supposed to do? Everything had risks, and he couldn’t imagine things going wrong and trying to explain to Father that he wasn’t a murderer. He wasn’t jealous. It was self-defense, and if Father had only fucking listened…
“What if we both talk to your Father?” pleaded Jaime. “I’ll stick up for you.”
“No. He’ll say I’ve filled your head with rubbish. I don’t need to hear shit about that too.” When it came to Gautier, Aleric was firmly considered a liar, and that wasn’t going to change anytime soon even with another trying to back him. He’d fucked up before and was paying for it now.
Maybe he should run, but he didn’t want to later hear Father had died either and know he’d completely abandoned him.
He gave Mighty a few last pats and slid down. Jaime’s expression said he was struggling to come up with a plan to solve the problem right there. Aleric was tempted to tell him good luck with that.
“Well, I’m staying, and you’re not making me leave unless you drag me outside and lock the gate.”
Great.
“Since that’s settled, you need to be nicer to me and not treat me like crap on the bottom of your boot.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” Aleric said snarkily. It irritated him because Jaime was entirely right, and Aleric should stop treating him like shit. He should thank him again too. “Thank you for getting me medicine and dumping Olivier’s shit.”
“No problem. Also, I guess you want the coin purse back?”
“I said it’s your wages.”
“It’s all lans and quite a bit considering I only sucked your dick one time. The sex doesn’t count since that was rather critical for you, and I wasn’t hoping to be paid for it. The medicine and juice didn’t make much of a dent in that bag.”
“Keep it.”
“Am I still supposed to suck your dick like a street whore without even so much as a kiss or foreplay?”
For Elira’s sake. “No more of that. I’ll still pay you. I’m not going to withhold money to make you blow me.” Clearly, they weren’t going to align in bed, and considering the thoughts that had kept slithering through Aleric’s mind, he needed to keep Jaime’s mouth away from his cock.
