around his hips while he continued to feed at the mouth that was only one of many things about Koray to which he was hopelessly, happily addicted.
He drew back only when they were both panting and his lips throbbed. "Koray, we have had this discussion before. Not once in all these months I have known you have I ever felt bored in your presence."
Koray's long fingers pulled at the edges of Sorin's collar, trailed up to flutter along his cheeks. A scowl overtook his face as he muttered, "Then why must I hear about all these things you've done from other people, things you did with them but never even mentioned to me?"
Sorin sighed, leaned in to kiss the corner of his mouth, and then slowly set Koray back on his feet. "It did not occur to me to mention them. I can imagine what they have been saying, and I would wager my armor that they are exaggerating a great deal. They probably also did not mention I usually do such things at the request of others . My own tastes are much simpler." He cupped Koray's chin, ran a thumb over his lips. "That aside, I am an idiot and accustomed to you telling me exactly what you think. I am used to the man who regularly announces to the entire castle that I have rocks in place of brains. It is easy to forget there are some things you won't say, even to me when we are alone. But you can say or ask me anything, Koray. You—you could have come to me before you went to Neikirk. I'm sorry you didn't know that."
Cheeks going red again, Koray turned from his touch and muttered, "I was trying to be less ignorant. I thought if you did ever bring the subject up then at least I would not seem completely stupid. It is extremely annoying to know that children around here seem to know more about … certain matters than I, and people keep asking what you see in me."
"Why is everyone being so rude to the High Necromancer?" Sorin asked, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why have you not slapped fines on all of them? The nobility love nothing half so much as they love their gold. If you want to silence them, hit them where it hurts: in their purses. If fines don't work, throw them in a cell for a couple of nights."
"I … I can fine them?"
"Yes," Sorin said, hating himself all over again for the shadows that filled Koray's face anew. Why did he always feel so inadequate where Koray was concerned? Goddess above, some days he did not know why Koray continued to put up with him. "Fine them for being disrespectful, for sowing disorder, for whatever you can think of, really. They've no business behaving that way. You should have told me sooner, told someone. I will drain their purses and toss them in the moat!"
Koray's frown deepened, his shoulders hunching, voice low as he said, "I've only spoken to Neikirk about it. I don't think he knows about the fines either. We … he and I are not like you and Cerant. Clearly everyone is aware of that."
Sorin leaned in to kiss the top of his head. "I'm sorry. I should be teaching you all of this instead of assuming you've learned it or will grasp it as we go along. Though honesty compels me to admit Cerant would be a better teacher. I'll speak with him."
"I do not care most of the time. I am slowly figuring all of this ruling a country business out," Koray replied, resting his head against Sorin's chest, fingers curling into his tunic. "I just wish they would stop reminding me they were far better and more experienced paramours."
Sorin laughed—grunted when that got him smacked. "More experienced, maybe, but you are better by far." Koray looked as though he wanted to believe that, but could not. Sorin brushed his mouth with a soft kiss. "I am furious with myself for having been oblivious to all this nonsense going on right in front of me, but I do not need to have been privy to it to know you have probably been oblivious to something."
Koray jabbed him again. "I have listened very carefully, My Lord High Paladin, to every word they speak. I could repeat every word
He drew back only when they were both panting and his lips throbbed. "Koray, we have had this discussion before. Not once in all these months I have known you have I ever felt bored in your presence."
Koray's long fingers pulled at the edges of Sorin's collar, trailed up to flutter along his cheeks. A scowl overtook his face as he muttered, "Then why must I hear about all these things you've done from other people, things you did with them but never even mentioned to me?"
Sorin sighed, leaned in to kiss the corner of his mouth, and then slowly set Koray back on his feet. "It did not occur to me to mention them. I can imagine what they have been saying, and I would wager my armor that they are exaggerating a great deal. They probably also did not mention I usually do such things at the request of others . My own tastes are much simpler." He cupped Koray's chin, ran a thumb over his lips. "That aside, I am an idiot and accustomed to you telling me exactly what you think. I am used to the man who regularly announces to the entire castle that I have rocks in place of brains. It is easy to forget there are some things you won't say, even to me when we are alone. But you can say or ask me anything, Koray. You—you could have come to me before you went to Neikirk. I'm sorry you didn't know that."
Cheeks going red again, Koray turned from his touch and muttered, "I was trying to be less ignorant. I thought if you did ever bring the subject up then at least I would not seem completely stupid. It is extremely annoying to know that children around here seem to know more about … certain matters than I, and people keep asking what you see in me."
"Why is everyone being so rude to the High Necromancer?" Sorin asked, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why have you not slapped fines on all of them? The nobility love nothing half so much as they love their gold. If you want to silence them, hit them where it hurts: in their purses. If fines don't work, throw them in a cell for a couple of nights."
"I … I can fine them?"
"Yes," Sorin said, hating himself all over again for the shadows that filled Koray's face anew. Why did he always feel so inadequate where Koray was concerned? Goddess above, some days he did not know why Koray continued to put up with him. "Fine them for being disrespectful, for sowing disorder, for whatever you can think of, really. They've no business behaving that way. You should have told me sooner, told someone. I will drain their purses and toss them in the moat!"
Koray's frown deepened, his shoulders hunching, voice low as he said, "I've only spoken to Neikirk about it. I don't think he knows about the fines either. We … he and I are not like you and Cerant. Clearly everyone is aware of that."
Sorin leaned in to kiss the top of his head. "I'm sorry. I should be teaching you all of this instead of assuming you've learned it or will grasp it as we go along. Though honesty compels me to admit Cerant would be a better teacher. I'll speak with him."
"I do not care most of the time. I am slowly figuring all of this ruling a country business out," Koray replied, resting his head against Sorin's chest, fingers curling into his tunic. "I just wish they would stop reminding me they were far better and more experienced paramours."
Sorin laughed—grunted when that got him smacked. "More experienced, maybe, but you are better by far." Koray looked as though he wanted to believe that, but could not. Sorin brushed his mouth with a soft kiss. "I am furious with myself for having been oblivious to all this nonsense going on right in front of me, but I do not need to have been privy to it to know you have probably been oblivious to something."
Koray jabbed him again. "I have listened very carefully, My Lord High Paladin, to every word they speak. I could repeat every word
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