Laurent felt as though he was in a daze. He returned the kisses, feeling sick with each one, and went with Damen back to their rooms, unspeaking, trailed politely by the two puzzled slaves.
The moment they were safely through the door, Laurent snarled and shoved away from Damen, pacing to the center of the antechamber for the space and air he needed. His skin was crawling. "Sit," he snapped, voice sharp and hands shaking, though he fisted them to hide it. "All three of you. Separately."
Pacing back and forth as he recovered himself, Laurent swept a table clear of ornamentation as he passed, leaving shattered crystal and tattered flowers in the wake of his temper.
After a minute he sat, glaring down Isander with an icy fury that made the poor boy tremble and look around himself in confusion.
He was going about this all wrong.
Laurent dropped his face into his hand, taking a moment to compose himself back into the sensible and commanding prince who could handle this situation. "Forgive me, Isander," he said, gently. "I have a visceral dislike for the practice of slavery, under any conditions. From this moment, you may consider yourself freed." Laurent lifted a finger to forestall any objection. "Don't react. Listen. These are your options. If you would like to be apprenticed or trained for any profession, I will cover the full cost of your training. Anything you would like to study, you may. Or, if you would prefer to capitalize upon the training you've already received, you may open a salon as a courtesan. I understand that courtesans are not uncommon in Akielos, and many of them are very highly paid and sought-after. If that is your preference, I will again cover the cost of you establishing yourself. Or, if you'd like, you may remain in my personal retinue as a servant. You will be paid a generous wage, and provided ample time to yourself to rest and spend leisure time. You do not have to decide immedaitely. If you prefer to think about what sort of education you'd like to pursue, you may take as much time as you like, and I will consider you a servant in my household until you make up your mind. Is that all quite clear?"
no subject
The moment they were safely through the door, Laurent snarled and shoved away from Damen, pacing to the center of the antechamber for the space and air he needed. His skin was crawling. "Sit," he snapped, voice sharp and hands shaking, though he fisted them to hide it. "All three of you. Separately."
Pacing back and forth as he recovered himself, Laurent swept a table clear of ornamentation as he passed, leaving shattered crystal and tattered flowers in the wake of his temper.
After a minute he sat, glaring down Isander with an icy fury that made the poor boy tremble and look around himself in confusion.
He was going about this all wrong.
Laurent dropped his face into his hand, taking a moment to compose himself back into the sensible and commanding prince who could handle this situation. "Forgive me, Isander," he said, gently. "I have a visceral dislike for the practice of slavery, under any conditions. From this moment, you may consider yourself freed." Laurent lifted a finger to forestall any objection. "Don't react. Listen. These are your options. If you would like to be apprenticed or trained for any profession, I will cover the full cost of your training. Anything you would like to study, you may. Or, if you would prefer to capitalize upon the training you've already received, you may open a salon as a courtesan. I understand that courtesans are not uncommon in Akielos, and many of them are very highly paid and sought-after. If that is your preference, I will again cover the cost of you establishing yourself. Or, if you'd like, you may remain in my personal retinue as a servant. You will be paid a generous wage, and provided ample time to yourself to rest and spend leisure time. You do not have to decide immedaitely. If you prefer to think about what sort of education you'd like to pursue, you may take as much time as you like, and I will consider you a servant in my household until you make up your mind. Is that all quite clear?"