S.U.Pacat

His garments were unpinned and drawn off swiftly.

Akielos

THEOMEDES, King of Akielos

DAMIANOS (Damen), son and heir to Theomedes

KASTOR, illegitimate son of Theomedes and Damen’s half brother

JOKASTE, a lady of the Akielon court

ADRASTUS, Keeper of the Royal Slaves

LYKAIOS, a female slave in the household of Damianos

ERASMUS, a male slave

Vere

THE REGENT of Vere

LAURENT, the heir to the throne of Vere

RADEL, overseer of the Prince’s household

GUION, a member of the Veretian Council and Ambassador to Akielos

AUDIN, a member of the Veretian Council

HERODE, a member of the Veretian Council

JEURRE, a member of the Veretian Council

CHELAUT, a member of the Veretian Council

NICAISE, a pet

GOVART, a former member of the King’s Guard

JORD, a member of the Prince’s Guard

ORLANT, a member of the Prince’s Guard

VANNIS, a courtier

TALIK, her pet

ESTIENNE, a courtier

BERENGER, a courtier

ANCEL, his pet

Patras

TORGEIR, King of Patras

TORVELD, younger brother of Torgeir and Ambassador to Vere

From the past

ALERON, former King of Vere and Laurent’s father

AUGUSTE, former heir to the throne of Vere and Laurent’s older brother

‘I would never ask you to do anything you found distasteful,’ said Laurent.

‘Looking at you is distasteful,’ said Nicaise.

‘WE HEAR THAT your Prince,’ said Lady Jokaste, ‘keeps his own harem.

The food was rustic but the slaves were impeccable: faultlessly obedient and trained to efface and anticipate, nothing like the spoiled pets at the court of Vere.

The slaves knelt in demonstration of their willing submissiveness.

‘He isn’t used to being handled,’ said Adrastus, with an uneasy sideways look at Lady Jokaste. ‘He hasn’t been trained.’

‘The Prince, we hear, enjoys a challenge,’ said Lady Jokaste.

She was a palace slave, untrained in combat and so sweetly obedient that, had he commanded it of her, she would have knelt and bared her own throat for the stroke.

One of the soldiers immobilised him in a practised hold from behind. The other began to strip him.

‘Do you expect me to submit to this? To be mastered by—who—Adrastus? I’ll tear his throat out.’