language."
He nodded to indicate he understood. Dargon needed to be able to comprehend what was said with their hands as well as their mouths. Dargon's expression became more puzzled.
"Our language has two components: the verbal, and when we do not wish to reveal something to those who are listening, discreet gestures," Mestor explained.
"So while you were speaking, you were signaling with your hands and having a separate conversation?" Dargon tugged Zeus closer, placing a protective arm around Zeus. "Do I want to know what was said?"
"Ships are disappearing in Valespian space and Galactic Patrol is not answering any of the communications sent from Haven," Zeus replied.
"Meme is not simply travelling with that tailless skink, Timsah," Mestor hissed in anger. Zeus had confessed to Azaes his abuse at the hands of House of Cordyl. Mestor had a quick temper and Zeus had not yet spoken to him of the matter. Predictably, Azaes seemed to have given Mestor some of the details.
Zeus broke away from Dargon and went to Mestor. He knew his brother would be angry for his sake and embraced him. He meant the gesture to be a quick reassurance. Mestor, on the other hand, crushed Zeus to him. "There is no dishonor in making yourself vulnerable to those you care for. Rathmar abused your trust. I do not care that he secreted you away to keep his father from harming you further. He did it not because he worried for your welfare, but to protect his father. Instead of standing tall like a male of worth, he cowered in the shadow and now bears your mark for his gutless behavior."
Rathmar's words always haunted Zeus, even though he understood they were untrue. "He said House Vondorian was weak because they harbored a soft-skinned monkey and that weakness would be the death of our father. I marked him for the veiled threat." Zeus remembered pulling from his last reserve of energy to knock Rathmar back, tripping him, and pouncing on Rathmar's back, his knees digging into scaled shoulder blades. With Rathmar's own belt knife, he had sliced Rathmar's cheek open three times, giving him the mark of dishonor. Monkey or no, Rathmar carried his scars so that he would remember House Vondorian would never be too weak enough to be overcome.
Mestor's smile was anything but nice. "He attempted to claim an accident when he came back to court, and not the black mark on his character people suspected it to be. He never remarked on your sudden absence, which only added to people's suspicion. All knew you two were the best of friends, even though many were unaware you were lovers. His silence damned him as much as the scars did, and the young males of the Houses began to distance themselves from him. Within a short time, he found himself ostracized and alone."
Zeus extracted himself from Mestor's iron embrace. Dargon and Alpha knew the abbreviated version of what happened, but Azaes had not previously shared details of what happened after he had left Atlainticia. Mestor's accounting caused Alpha to growl with fury.
Azaes interrupted Mestor before Zeus could continue. "That is the past. Zeus now has worthy companions who have blessed the Vondorian house with our first younglings."
Dargon claimed his hand as he took his place next to him and Alpha. "If House Cordyl is so reviled by your family, why is your mother traveling with them?"
"It appears Canry has been busy. Meme received a message her family would need her at Haven. When she contacted father, he alerted her to the problems over Valespia. When Ariafella overheard Timsah's plans to travel to Haven, they used that, along with the news of the trouble erupting when we left space station Basquer'Qa, as an excuse to travel within the armada."
Azaes moved to the table and typed the security code. The tabletop veneer drew back to reveal an electronic navchart. "She is negotiating with several of our allies, arranging for additional support, and has dispatched scout ships with messages to the homeworlds of the
He nodded to indicate he understood. Dargon needed to be able to comprehend what was said with their hands as well as their mouths. Dargon's expression became more puzzled.
"Our language has two components: the verbal, and when we do not wish to reveal something to those who are listening, discreet gestures," Mestor explained.
"So while you were speaking, you were signaling with your hands and having a separate conversation?" Dargon tugged Zeus closer, placing a protective arm around Zeus. "Do I want to know what was said?"
"Ships are disappearing in Valespian space and Galactic Patrol is not answering any of the communications sent from Haven," Zeus replied.
"Meme is not simply travelling with that tailless skink, Timsah," Mestor hissed in anger. Zeus had confessed to Azaes his abuse at the hands of House of Cordyl. Mestor had a quick temper and Zeus had not yet spoken to him of the matter. Predictably, Azaes seemed to have given Mestor some of the details.
Zeus broke away from Dargon and went to Mestor. He knew his brother would be angry for his sake and embraced him. He meant the gesture to be a quick reassurance. Mestor, on the other hand, crushed Zeus to him. "There is no dishonor in making yourself vulnerable to those you care for. Rathmar abused your trust. I do not care that he secreted you away to keep his father from harming you further. He did it not because he worried for your welfare, but to protect his father. Instead of standing tall like a male of worth, he cowered in the shadow and now bears your mark for his gutless behavior."
Rathmar's words always haunted Zeus, even though he understood they were untrue. "He said House Vondorian was weak because they harbored a soft-skinned monkey and that weakness would be the death of our father. I marked him for the veiled threat." Zeus remembered pulling from his last reserve of energy to knock Rathmar back, tripping him, and pouncing on Rathmar's back, his knees digging into scaled shoulder blades. With Rathmar's own belt knife, he had sliced Rathmar's cheek open three times, giving him the mark of dishonor. Monkey or no, Rathmar carried his scars so that he would remember House Vondorian would never be too weak enough to be overcome.
Mestor's smile was anything but nice. "He attempted to claim an accident when he came back to court, and not the black mark on his character people suspected it to be. He never remarked on your sudden absence, which only added to people's suspicion. All knew you two were the best of friends, even though many were unaware you were lovers. His silence damned him as much as the scars did, and the young males of the Houses began to distance themselves from him. Within a short time, he found himself ostracized and alone."
Zeus extracted himself from Mestor's iron embrace. Dargon and Alpha knew the abbreviated version of what happened, but Azaes had not previously shared details of what happened after he had left Atlainticia. Mestor's accounting caused Alpha to growl with fury.
Azaes interrupted Mestor before Zeus could continue. "That is the past. Zeus now has worthy companions who have blessed the Vondorian house with our first younglings."
Dargon claimed his hand as he took his place next to him and Alpha. "If House Cordyl is so reviled by your family, why is your mother traveling with them?"
"It appears Canry has been busy. Meme received a message her family would need her at Haven. When she contacted father, he alerted her to the problems over Valespia. When Ariafella overheard Timsah's plans to travel to Haven, they used that, along with the news of the trouble erupting when we left space station Basquer'Qa, as an excuse to travel within the armada."
Azaes moved to the table and typed the security code. The tabletop veneer drew back to reveal an electronic navchart. "She is negotiating with several of our allies, arranging for additional support, and has dispatched scout ships with messages to the homeworlds of the
Similar Books
