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“Looks like the Arbora really like him,” said Moon.
“No shit,” said Stone, surveying Ember’s luxuriously furnished bower. “And he has nearly as many kids’ toys as you. I guess he’s good with the children.”
“There’s at least one warrior quite taken with him too.”
“Who’s that?”
“Root. He was absolutely dumbstruck when they met,” said Moon with a grin.
Stone snorted. “If Ember can keep Root quiet, that’s got to be a good thing.” He and Moon went out onto the gallery which led to the consorts’ bowers, and they sat looking out over the central well of the mountain tree. “You realise we’re going to have Arbora around here all the time now.”
“You like the Arbora,” said Moon. “And I think he’ll be spending his nights with Pearl. She seemed quite possessive earlier.”
“And your queen isn’t?”
“Yeah, well. She’s a queen.”
“You didn’t object when she picked you up and flew you out of the greeting hall at Opal Night.”
Once Malachite had formally acknowledged Indigo Cloud’s right to Moon, Jade had lost no time in demonstrating her ownership.
“The other queens were being… she had to show them…” Moon shut up. “I liked the look on the faces of the Opal Night consorts,” he said defensively.
“Moon. You like being taken. You were picking flowers for her bathing pool earlier. You are just like a regular consort,” said Stone. “Occasionally, anyway.”
"Whereas you never did anything romantic in your life,” replied Moon, wondering why talking to Stone always ended up with him sounding like an argumentative fledgling.
He had to admit Stone wasn’t actually wrong. Moon liked that Jade took care of him and usually took the initiative during sex. He liked her strength and he enjoyed the feel of his more sensitive groundling skin against the scales of her Arbora form. He liked feeling protected and he was happy being, well, owned. If he had considered the matter he might have thought it was due to his difficult earlier life, to his need to belong and feel trusted, but perhaps after all it was just his nature.
He tried to imagine a young Stone picking flowers for Azure. Actually it wasn’t impossible: although he was grouchy, and no-one would call him shy or delicate, Stone was kind, and he looked out for Moon in his offhand fashion. He liked spending time with the children, and Flower had once said his jewelry collection was legendary. He was absolutely the kind of consort who would have picked flowers for his queen. Moon didn’t say anything though, because Stone was also the kind of consort who might rip his head off if he got really angry.
“Of course it could also mean Pearl will be coming up here,” he countered.
“Luckily there are plenty of places in this colony I can sleep in peace,” said Stone. “You and Chime make enough noise I’ve had to hunt out the best spots.”
In his Raksuran form Stone, like Moon, found it relaxing to hang upside down, anchored by his tail. It seemed to be a thing with many of the Aeriat. But Stone also often slept in his Raksuran form, which was very big. The rest of the court were used to coming across him hanging in unlikely locations in the mountain tree.
“You’re never here to notice us!”
“That was kind of my point,” said Stone.
“I meant you’re away from the colony most of the time.”
Stone grunted. “I may stick around while Delin’s here. You’re looking after the kid though.”
“You already said. You might want to bear in mind I’ve no experience teaching anyone anything. Apart from hunting, I guess.”
“You like him well enough, don’t you?”
“Oh, sure. He’s kind of sweet.”
“There’s a lot you can learn from him.”
“Wasn’t it supposed to be the other way round?”
“You can show him how to fight because you’re not bad at that. But Moon, he’s going to be good for the court. Pearl knows that, it’s why she’s taken him.”
“Partly,” said Moon. “He’s also very pretty.”
Stone rolled his eyes. “He also knows all about the local courts; every bloodline, the formal and informal alliances, who owes who a favour, which queens are the best to deal with when it comes to trading; everything you never knew and I forgot years ago and don’t care much about now. No-one in Indigo Cloud is as well informed and up to date as Ember. And he’s not stupid.”
Moon could see the value of this. He just wasn’t sure it was something he wanted to learn. “I’d be terrible at all that talking stuff.”
“You don’t have to talk much. Consorts mostly don’t. But it’s essential knowledge if we’re to prosper here.”
Moon grimaced. “I guess.”
Stone reached across to slap him on the back of the head, fairly gently.
There was a small scrabbling noise and Ember climbed onto the platform.
“Oh, there you are, Moon. Jade is looking for you. She wants you in her bower straight away.”
Quickly, Moon shifted to climb down to the queens’ level, Stone’s laughter behind him.
******
“Hey, don’t rush off, kid,” said Stone to Ember. “Unless Pearl wants you now?”
“She’s talking to Heart about trading with the Golden Islanders for herbs.”
“So, relax a minute. Sit down. Don’t worry, I won’t eat you.”
Ember smiled hesitantly as he obeyed.
“Just checking in, is Pearl treating you all right?”
“Of course!” Ember looked at the rather elegant consort bracelet on his slim arm.
“Nice,” said Stone. “That new?” It didn’t look like Rain’s old one.
“Yes. Of course it all happened so quickly there wasn’t much time, and Gold made this plain originally and added the design later. She wants to add some polished stones too.”
“I don’t know about that, I think I prefer the simpler design.” Stone rarely wore even his own armband, but he liked jewelry and possessed many items which he had been given over the years.
“Moon was worried about me too,” said Ember. “There’s honestly no need.”
“You really like it here, in spite of the craziness?”
“It doesn’t seem crazy to me. It’s peaceful after Emerald Twilight. Of course I didn’t go out fighting monsters like you and Moon.”
“Emerald Twilight’s really so fraught?” Stone found it hard to believe.
“Not like, you know, fighting monsters crazy. But it’s a big court. The queens fight a lot. Really fight.”
“I have to tell you, Jade and Pearl don’t exactly agree on everything.”
“But everyone says they just argue about sensible things, if you know what I mean. Ordinary things. They don’t actually fight much. And there are only two of them. At Emerald Twilight every queen has her warriors and Arbora followers, and all those factions fight. It’s just a big endless contest.”
“Huh. I can see that wouldn’t make for peace and harmony.” And perhaps it would be particularly difficult if you were a sheltered young consort. He thought about Ash, and Halcyon, and reminded himself to keep an eye on Frost.
“I miss people there, of course,” Ember went on. “But I’ve been at Indigo Court nearly two changes of the month, and I like it here. The Arbora are friendly.”
Stone nodded. “And the warriors?”
“They’re fine. I don’t know all Jade’s warriors yet, those who went with her, but Pearl’s are all right. Some are a bit, you know, the way warriors sometimes are.”
“Stupid, you mean. What about River?” River had been unhappy enough with Moon’s arrival, and barely placated when Moon was claimed by Jade rather than Pearl. Even if Pearl continued to have warrior lovers, River would lose his status as her favorite.
“He’s all right, honestly. I was a bit sorry for him, but we had a talk. He just wants what’s best for Pearl really.”
Stone looked at him in astonishment. Had the kid really settled River with just a little chat? Perhaps it was difficult to be jealous of someone as young and sweet as Ember. He shook his head. “And that other idiot, Drift?”
“River spoke to him. And Moon has too, I think.”
That sounded quite likely. Though Stone might just check on that as well.
“Pearl is wonderful, and I think I can make her happy,” added Ember shyly. Stone grinned involuntarily.
”I’m sure you can,” he said, just to make Ember blush.
“She doesn’t want to have a clutch just yet, but that’s fine.”
“Good,” said Stone. “Wait till you’re a little older.” That was sensible enough. Perhaps Pearl was genuinely coming out of the bitter apathy she had sunk into in the last few turns. “You and Pearl will be good for Indigo Cloud, getting us established again with the other courts around here.” Ember was obviously shaping up to be the perfect consort who tactfully kept the peace between Raksuran queens. “Let Jade and Moon have a clutch first.”
Ember nodded seriously, knowing his own value.
“She says I should have sex with whoever I like.” Ember looked carefully at Stone, clearly wanting to know if he should believe this.
“Sure, but be discreet around Pearl. And you don’t want anyone to have a clutch before she does. And kid, whatever you do, try and keep it quiet up here, will you? Moon and Chime are the worst.”
******