"The pleasure is all mine," the man said formally and then both he and Thanuel laughed uproariously.
Thanuel asked after a moment, "Where'd you learn to talk all proper like that?"
I shrugged, "I guess some of the mannerisms of my teacher of the past few years have rubbed off on me."
"And who would that be, young man?" Jarken asked.
"He was called Kurios, but I called him Kuri. I'm not aware of him having a last name."
Jarken and Thanuel shared a meaningful glance with each other before Jarken said as an aside, "The first name's enough. If I was you I'd keep it to yourself as to who your teacher was."
"Aye, I'd do as he says," Thanuel said, glancing around to see if we'd been overheard by the other men around us.
"Why?" I asked, but both men would say no more.
I walked on in the dust pondering as to what their hints could mean. Kuri apparently had a reputation within the seven kingdoms. If they only knew. The problem was that they should know, yet it seemed that, if anything, Kuri was regarded by some as a nuisance instead of what he was, the King.
Thanuel was handing a rag to me and gesturing at my face. I took it and tied it across the lower half of my face. It helped with the dust, but not the heat. My new job was thoroughly miserable, but at least I wasn't on the menu.
*****
The water wasn't cold, but at least it had a cooling effect, if only for the moment. I stopped splashing my face with it and instead I rubbed at my eyes. They still felt gritty, but I had to have gotten all the sand and dust washed out of them by now.
Of all the occupations on Ayenathurim this had to be the worst. I put it just a step above slavery, but just barely.
A shadow fell across me and I looked up to see my benefactor standing there. Her eyes roamed over my bare torso staying the longest upon the scars that ran across my chest.
Her eyes rose to mine and I could see curiosity reflected within the depths of her green eyes. I saw lust as well. I felt the need to put my shirt on, but I stayed as I was.
"You look as if you have quite the story to tell," she said softly, as her eyes fell back down to the scars.
I said nothing. Her eyes rose to mine, curiosity seemed to vanish from them as it was replaced with magnetic sensuality. Now I felt the need to run away, but I stayed still.