Page 6 of Enchanter of Dragons
“You really are too kind.”
“There is no such thing as ‘too kind.’ You deserve to be taken care of,” Jaega said.
His words brought another blush to Fersen’s cheeks. It was impossible not to find the general charming. “I appreciate it. It’s been a long,longtime since anyone has taken care of me.”
“The water has been purified if you wish to bathe, Your Highness,” Grisden said, once again catching Fersen off guard. It was amazing how silent his approach was.
“Thank you, Grisden. I will do so.” Jaega stood up, making Fersen feel even smaller as the large shifter loomed over him. “Please excuse me, Fersen. If the food arrives before I finish, please help yourself. You do not have to wait for me to start eating.”
Fersen bowed his head in acknowledgment. When Jaega left for the bathroom, Fersen glanced over to see Grisden arranging things on Jaega’s desk. Feeling uncomfortable in the silence and wanting to take his mind off the naked general on the other side of the tent, Fersen tried to make small talk. “May I ask how long you’ve worked for Jaega?”
The servant stopped what he was doing and came over to sit around the fire with Fersen. “I have been with him since his boyhood. It has been the greatest privilege of my life.”
Fersen couldn’t imagine serving one person for what was likely thousands of years. But given how kind Jaega was, it likely was not as arduous a task as someone who was forced to serve a cruel master like King Decius. “It must be nice to work for somebody so kind.”
“I am indeed fortunate.” Grisden bowed his head. “My older brother serves as King Tatsuki’s personal valet. We are treated very well in Valzerna.”
“Is King Tatsuki as fearsome as they say?” Fersen had heard rumors, even though he lived far away on the west side of Talwyn in Morven.
“He is, but he is also fair. He values integrity, loyalty, logic, and honesty above all else. So long as you are on the side of right, he has no qualm with you.”
“What’s Valzerna like? I’ve never been that far east before.”
“It is a beautiful country. Our people are happy and well taken care of by our generous king. We are very fortunate that we do not suffer the same burdens of gross taxation like the poor people of Shadron.”
“It sounds a lot like Morven in that regard.”
“Yes, Morven is a wonderful kingdom as well. Your king is also very kind, according to my cousin, who serves one of his princesses. It has been some time since I last had the pleasure of visiting there.”
Fersen ran his fingers over his wrists that no longer bore the scars of King Decius’s torture. “I’ve been away from Morven for far too long. It will be good to return home.”
While Fersen was excited, he also couldn’t help but feel a small pang of regret that returning to his regular life would mean the end of his time with Jaega. He lived alone in the forest, so the company of someone so warm and kind had been a nice change of pace.
Chapter3
Jaega
Although he was a fire dragon, Jaega was fond of bath time. After a hard day’s battle, coming back to a hot bath was the highlight of his day after winning a victory. But his mind was preoccupied by thoughts of the mysterious shifter he had saved from King Decius.
Seeing Fersen fresh out of the bath, with his cheeks flushed and smelling like Jaega because of the soap and shampoo, did things to the general’s heart he didn’t understand. It made his dragon stir in a way it hadn’t done since the first time he had met his mate. His dragon whispered, “Ours,” like they had any right to claim Fersen.
It was hard to ignore his dragon’s certainty that Fersen belonged to them as their fated mate. Since Caprina’s death, no one had captured Jaega’s attention. Sure, he had enjoyed dalliances with both men and women in the centuries since his mate’s untimely death. But none of them had ever made his dragon react in quite the same way. Jaega didn’t know what to make of it. Wasn’t it too late for him to have a second fated mate?
The lingering scent of Fersen in the bathroom was enough to stoke the flames of his dragon’s lust. But Jaega would not act in such a shameful manner. Although Fersen hadn’t disclosed the capacity he had served King Decius, it wasn’t hard to imagine it was in an abusive, sexual nature. Jaega refused to add to his trauma. He was much happier as Fersen’s protector.
Jaega hurried through the rest of his bath, not wanting to dwell on thoughts best left alone.
While it was poor form to eavesdrop on the conversation happening on the other side of the tent, it pleased Jaega to hear Fersen taking an interest in Grisden. The elder shifter had served Jaega as long as he had been alive. Because of that, Grisden had always been more like a second father to Jaega than a mere servant. He would do anything for the man who had dedicated his life to taking care of him.
Once he finished bathing, Jaega got out of the tub. He quickly made himself presentable before returning to the other side of the tent. “My apologies for taking so long.”
Grisden stood up with a bow. “I hope you had an enjoyable bath. I will go check on dinner now that you are ready.”
“Thank you, Grisden.” Jaega nodded in acknowledgment before he sat down next to Fersen by the fire once more.
He subtly inhaled, enjoying Fersen’s unique scent. It cycled the same way as the colors on his shifter markings, which was utterly entrancing.
“Grisden is so nice,” Fersen said once the servant left the tent. “You’re really lucky to have someone like him taking care of you.”
