Page 16 of What Fury Brings
The Amarran wretches thought themselves so superior to every other kingdom in Torateeria, but at Blanchette’s they were reduced to nothing more than common whores. As was their place. Or so his father said. Sanos had never met any Amarrans, but the rumors were vicious. Amarra was a territory ruled by women. They kept their men in chains. Drank their blood. Performed sexual acts in public. Thewomen themselves were unnaturally strong, and they used that strength to treat men like dogs.
The madam greeted them warmly, but Sanos was already looking over the women in the room. He wasn’t very discerning when it came to height or size or features. He likedwomen. Whatever women he could get away with having.
While the younger princes took their time selecting partners for the night, Sanos was of half a mind to grab the closest woman and take her upstairs. But then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Madam Blanchette approach his next youngest brother, who was still swaying on his feet.
“Prince Andrastus,” the woman said with a curtsy. “I have a new girl who I think will be perfectly suited to your tastes. In fact, if I may speak so boldly, she requestedyou.”
That caught Sanos’s interest. Andrastus was a sap. He liked poetry and going to the opera. He probably preferred his women on top.
“New girl?” Sanos repeated. “One who asked for Andrastus? Why?”
Madam Blanchette didn’t bat an eye at his tone. “She’s heard the rumors about the prince’s handsomeness. She wants to see for herself.”
Andrastus was the pretty one. Canus, the big one. Trantos was the troublemaker. Ikanos was the baby. And Sanos… what was Sanos? The absent crown prince.
Maybe it was all the ale, but something primal came out in Sanos. Some need to take and prove himself. It was the way of the Brute, his father would say.
And he’d gone without sex too long.
Ikanos laughed and elbowed Canus, who already had his tongue sliding up the exposed breast of a whore. “Sanos doesn’t like that a girl fancies Andrastus over him.”
Canus palmed the breast as he turned and gave Sanos a wide smile. “He’ll get over it in about ten minutes. Hurry and take your pick, big brother.”
Sanos ignored them. To the madam, he said, “Andrastus needs help taking off his pants to piss all the ale out of his system. He will be no good tonight. I’ll keep the new girl company instead.”
He’d show her she made the wrong choice.
Madam Blanchette froze in place. The pause was short-lived, but Sanos still caught it. Nobody liked to say no to him. He wondered if the madam would dare.
“I mean no offense, Prince, but that is not how things are done here. My girl requested Andrastus, and if he’ll agree, she’ll have no other.”
It shouldn’t matter. Just earlier he was thinking about how any woman would do for tonight.
But why had this onerequestedhis brother?
Sanos’s gold was just as good as Andrastus’s. Yet this womanwantedhis brother.
Sanos had never been wanted before. He hadn’t realized it was something he should want until he was suddenly presented with the hard truth of the lack of it.
His three youngest brothers took their girls upstairs. Sanos frowned at Andrastus, who was now leaning against the wall.
“She’s in room twelve, Highness,” the madam said to his brother.
With a sigh, Sanos pulled his brother’s arm over his shoulders to help him take the stairs. Sanos would at least catch a glimpse of the new woman. Maybe next year…
Amarra’s tits, the thought was so damned depressing. A whole year before he would get this again. A night without worries. Another’s touch.
The pleasant buzzing in his head couldn’t make up for the sudden melancholy that came over him.
Cut that out, he chastised himself.You keep your family safe. There is no better way to live.
When they reached the top step, Andrastus nearly slipped from his grasp. It was only Sanos’s quick reflexes that saved him from the journey back down.
Sanos shuffled him off in the direction of room twelve, but before they could reach it, Andrastus was suddenly deadweight. His brother landed on the floor with athumpthat was masked by the sounds of all the bed play coming from the other rooms.
Sanos dragged his brother by the arms over to the side of the hallway, where no one would step on him. Then he took the time to turn Andrastus onto his side in case the ale came back up. Sanos ought to go downstairs and select his choice for the evening. He shouldn’t be wasting precious seconds standing over his brother.
Gods, hehatedbeing the oldest.
