Thanks to tanahome for the beta.

Il mio artista bello

My Lovely Artist

Chapter 5

Author: RoninBrat

Narsus sat between Quishward and Daryun. Of all the places available at the large, massive briefing table, the two decided to sit right next to him. He had arrived a scant few minutes before them, seating himself so that he faced the door and could watch the coming and going of servants as they finished setting up the room with refreshments. It helped to note just four pewter goblets were sitting on the table with various decanters of liquids. So it meant Arislan had not invited the whole palace to witness his impending doom.

Retrieving a goblet of cool water, he began laying out his writing instruments. He'd chosen to sit to Arislan's right, several chairs down. If all worked as planned, he'd be able to view four people within his line of vision. It was during his strategic study of the sitting arrangements that the two Commanders made their entrance.

After tossing informal greetings between themselves, Narsus sat, followed by Quishward to his left and then Daryun to his right. An unexpected move, that.

Choosing to ignore them, Narsus withdrew his knife from his boot and started picking at the stitches in his hand. It was relatively a small blade. Small gems of topaz and opal intricately decorated the gold handle. A blade Daryun had graced him with on his 21st birthing day.

It had been nearly a week since Daryun had insisted on taking him to see the healer. It was high time they came out. It really wasn't his intention to drive Daryun insane, only a distraction for himself.

"Oh. For Ashi sake, Narsus, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing, Daryun." Narsus drawled. Topaz eyes narrowed as he started pricking away at a stitch.

"And just how sterile is that knife you are using?"

Narsus shrugged, "I think I cleaned it yesterday." He was teasing of course. He could hear Daryun's exasperated sigh, and visualize the roll of dark blue eyes.

"For pity sake. Let me do it."

It was the last thing Narsus wanted.; to have Daryun holding his hand. Although not intimate, it was cause for Narsus to worry whether or not Daryun could feel his nerves vibrating through his finger tips. But the decision was gently taken from him as Daryun placed a hand on his right wrist forcing it away from the poised knife. Gently the dark haired warrior extracted the knife from his left. A simple wave of Daryun's hand brought one of the servants to the table.

"Bring me a candle, alcohol and salve."

Narsus winced. He wasn't too pleased with the notion of alcohol. The healer had used it and he'd found himself in a cranky mood for an entire day. But luck would have it that Daryun used it on the blade and then completed the sterilization with the flames of the candle.

Finally Quishward, who'd been silent but observant throughout the entire exchange, found his voice. "You trust him playing nursemaid?"

"Of course I do. Daryun makes a very excellent nursemaid." It was Daryun who had stitched and nursed him after the Lusitanian's ambush.

"It’s Narsus who makes a lousy patient." Daryun injected, never taking his eyes from his task.

"I do not." Narsus turned his attention sharply to Daryun. It didn't take Narsus but a moment to realize how childish that had squeaked out.

Daryun answered with a grunt as he bent to his task of plucking cat gut from Narsus' hand. "After I drug him to the healers kicking and screaming last week, he squawked like a woman giving birth."

"I did not!"

A glance from Daryun, mischief dancing in his blue eyes and a smile lighting his face, gave away that he was teasing.

"Well, Daryun," Quishward drawled, as he clasped hold of Narsus’ free left hand between his massive one's. He brushed his warm lips across Narsus’ fingers.

Narsus jumped, recognizing the intimate contact, his attention having been focused on Daryun. Turning his head sharply to his left he stared in wide eyed astonishment at Quishward, who continued the erotic touch of lips to fingers, becoming mesmerized by the act alone.

"Did you offer comfort? Plant kisses on his wounds?" Quishward gave Narsus a seductive slow wink."I would have, milord Narsus."

Oh, for Ashi sake. Part of the rumor was true! Speechless, Narsus snatched his hand from Quishward, who only chuckled. Narsus looked nervously at Daryun, wondering if the other knew just what occurred. He had not. He was focused intently on another stitch. Narsus wasn't even sure he had heard. Part of him was relieved.

Leaning back in his chair, as far away as he possibly could manage from Quishward, keeping his now sensitized hand to himself, all he could manage was, “Arislan’s late.”

"So he is." Quishward laughingly responded, "So, milord, have you an escort to the King's ball?"

It was then that Daryun slipped with the knife, nicking the soft pad of Narsus thumb. Narsus jumped, momentarily distracting himself from Quishward.. "Ouch..."

"Sorry." Daryun glanced up, dark blue eyes stormy as he glared in Quishward's direction. A look Narsus missed because he was too intent on snatching his hand back. Tightening his hold on Narsus' retreating hand, Daryun returned to task, ears perked.

Narsus concentrated on stilling his rapidly beating heart. Not just because Quishward had asked an innocent question about the ball, after all the Commander hadn't actually asked to be his escort, but because the nick in his thick pad of his hand had actually hurt. "No, I do not."

"And why is that, Lord Narsus?"

"Because it could cause problems."

"And how so?"

"Well...favoritism, for one. And, two, I would not subject anyone I cared about to the gossip of the court."

"Oh, and what if an escort was more than willing to be favorably subjected?"

Narsus stared at Quishward. Where in heavens was this going? "They'd have to be a fool to want to be subjected to that." Narsus stated with finality.

"A fool, eh?"

"Yes. Very nasty beings." Narsus emphasized his statement with a scrunched up face and a cross eyed look.

"I don't think the last three are ready to come out, Narsus." Daryun gladly interrupted their conversation. Narsus started to pull his hand away again, "I'm not done."

"And are you not a part of this group?" Quishward inquired as a dark, graying brow rose in continued questioning.

"Yes. And I can be very nasty, Quishward."

Quishward grinned, giving the sable haired, flustered Lord a wink. Narsus had played so well into his hand. "Oh? I think I like the sounds of that."

Narsus blinked in response, taking Quishward's sexual innuendo for what it was. He felt his cheeks grow heated as Quishward laughed.

"I would like to escort you to the King's Ball, Narsus. I am more than prepared to fend off the gossip."

"You'll regret it, Quishward."

"No. I. Won't." Quishward said each word slow and deliberate, making no mistake in its translation.

What could Narsus say now? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. There was no polite reason to say, no. "Don't come crying to me, Quishward, when the court starts vocally speculating who is top."

"Mmm...I think I rather like visualizing that."

This conversation was not happening., most especially not in front of Daryun, who was staring hard at Quishward.

"I see I'm going to have my hands full with you." Too late, Narsus realized what the two could do with that one.

Quishward's laughter filled the room as Narsus winced. Feeling the roughness of Daryun applying the salve to his hand but he said nothing.

Where the hell was Arislan?