“If I didn’t know better, I would have thought Tivar wanted a quiet pleasure slave who simply obeys and is treated like a dog. That’s not unusual, and some people have kinks like that. Since you said your old friend was captured, and I do know better, I wouldn’t say he was happy in his position. He’s accepting it because he has no choice. His collar is probably made of lirek, so he can forget using his magic. He’s also smaller than Tivar, so I don’t think physical fighting would work out in his favor.”
Jaki’s jaw tightened. “Did he show signs of abuse?”
“No,” said Lord Smith. “He didn’t have bruises or any marks.”
Tivar had healing powers, so that meant little since he could heal Lumi after a beating.
“The troublesome thing is in March, Tivar didn’t bring him around anymore,” continued Lord Smith. “I casually brought it up after a couple of weeks to someone, and they said the pleasure slave probably stays in his rooms and waits on him there like a dog.”
“He disappeared?”
“Yes.” The lord frowned. “I waited and hoped. I didn’t see him at all again, and I left just before June.”
Either Tivar grew tired of bringing his slave out like a pet, or he’d done something harmful to Lumi that couldn’t be reversed. It was possible he was pregnant too. Everyone would think Tivar was stupid for hiring an abundant male as a pleasure slave. Herbs worked, but what if they failed? If Lumi had gotten pregnant right after returning to Tivar, he wouldn’t be big by March. Still, he imagined some abundant males who were thin started to show a little by then. If a courtier noticed Lumi’s flat tummy had a little curve or that his waist had thickened slightly and guessed, it would bring questions. He could have had morning sickness too. Tivar would have been smart to quickly keep Lumi hidden.
“I never managed to get inside his rooms,” continued the lord. “Two guards stayed outside of that hallway, and no one was allowed in. Tivar doesn’t invite anyone in as far as I know. He likes privacy.”
He described the layout of the Castle and where Tivar’s rooms were. Jaki leaned forward and pinched the bridge of his nose. There was always a small possibility Tivar had killed Lumi, but he was probably pregnant. With a male heir, Tivar could bring the dead Crown back to life and go to war with the Ice Court.
Should he tell Father and finally admit everything since he had a little bit more info? Father likely wouldn’t believe him, and he truly thought Lumi, who was Edur, had died years ago along with Aisi in a terrible fire. He’d think Jaki was insane, and he’d say Lumi was just a pleasure slave who grew tired of his work and broke the contract.
Even if he did believe Jaki, what would he do if he knew he’d been fucking his own half-nephew without a clue? He’d probably drown himself in more wine and honey whiskey.
“What else did you find out?” asked Jaki.
The lord had managed to get a little info on numbers and army locations, although not as much as he wanted. Tivar kepthis border guarded too, just in case Elswere got off his arse. That side of the country was also in bad shape.
Tivar often wore his Crown even though it was dead. The courtiers also pretended everything was fine. They’d thrown their lot in with him and couldn’t do much about the state of the Kingdom. Saying anything might lead to trouble. They’d leech off of him for as long as possible.
To get real info on what people in general thought, the lord had gone to a whorehouse in Lilling. His chosen lady had been quite happy to talk after they fucked. Crime had gone up everywhere, and she said the people were unhappy because they didn’t know what Tivar was waiting for.
Why not attack Elswere’s side? She thought Tivar was Reesing’s rightful heir, and he needed to bring the Kingdom together so they could survive. Elswere was a bastard child and a liar too for saying that Tivar was illegitimate.
On a side note, and worse, there had been rumors of cannibalism farther west, although there was no proof.
Jaki had a feeling it wouldn’t be the last time he heard that.
When Lord Smith was ready to go, he hesitated by the door. “I’m sorry your childhood friend became unlucky and caught Tivar’s eye. You must try to get Elswere to do something. Both sides of Iceland suffer, and you certainly won’t get your friend back unless Tivar is defeated.”
“Do you think I haven’t tried to get my Father to do something?” asked Jaki. “I may be the Crown Prince, but I can’t command the King and drag the army over there.”
The lord paused. “I’m sorry, Prince Jaki. I’m tired of seeing people suffer. The rents are almost nothing in my hold, and it’s not helping when there’s so little food to buy. I'm not leaving any time soon, so I'm a leech here too. I remember when things were well, and I want that back for my people.”
“So do I.”
The lord left, and Jaki’s eyes stung as he thought of his half-brother trapped with the false heir. A monster.
If only Reesing, the Father he’d never known, hadn’t taken Tivar in. Yes, the grief for Aisi would have been horrendous if she knew their actual first son had been born dead. Lumi was her second child, so they would have avoided so much with a proper heir in line. Even if Reesing had strayed later anyway and given Jaki to Elswere, the Kingdom would've been fine.
As for now, the lord was wrong about Jaki not being able to get Lumi back without defeating the opposing side. He eyed the necklace Lord Smith had left on the table. It bore a simple pentagram on the outside, which was for protection. Underneath the outer gold layer, he knew symbols were etched in it.
It surely had enough use left.
Jaki found Elswere in his office the next morning, and he didn’t waste time on pleasantries or good mornings as he planted himself before the desk.
“When are you finally going to do something about Tivar and unite the country again?”
Elswere paused with a parchment packet he’d been opening. “Son, I’ve told you before, I’m working on it-”
