A Drink Before Battle [M/M] ✅

33: If You Could Catch A Prince

In a small room at an inn just down the street from the Pearl, Sevei and Yanek helped each other into their elaborate dress uniforms. They weren't the sort of thing one could get into on one's own. There were a lot of accessories – tall, polished boots, fringed velvet baldrics pinned with all the medals they'd been awarded, various chains, cords, and tassels indicating their units' specialties as well as their ranks and sub-ranks within ranks.

Yanek had been quiet since leaving the shop, his mood seeming to vary between cheerful and pensive. Sevei gave him a sideways glance as he attached Sevei's cloak to his shoulder and draped it down behind him to fasten to the opposite hip.

"I hope Kyri didn't make you uncomfortable earlier," he said. "That's just... how he is. He doesn't mean anything by it."

"Oh, no! I don't mind," Yanek answered with a nervous laugh. "He's really... well, I don't think I ever could, but if I had to, then he'd be... he's very pretty, isn't he? As pretty as any girl... is it alright to say that? I don't mean to..."

Sevei almost doubled over in laughter. "Yan, stop. Stop talking." He turned around and clapped his Second on one shoulder. "I didn't mean to put you on the spot, and you really don't have to try so hard. Speaking of pretty girls, how about Gerna? How did that go?"

"Ah..." Yanek smiled. His eyes went a bit dreamy as his already blushing face brightened. "She's such a sweet little... flower... one of those really delicate ones, like a lily, or a daffodil..."

Sevei mirrored his smile, trying not to laugh at him again, but Yanek's face fell suddenly.

"At least she was at first," he said. "Then she got very stern, and very straigtforwardly told me that she was born in a brothel. Her mum's a prostitute. Said Mister Damah took her in so she wouldn't have to live like that." He gave a long sigh. "I'm not sure if it was true, though. Seemed like she was testing me, to see if it'd put me off."

"No, it was probably true," Sevei assured him solemnly. "That's what Kyri does. Most of his associates came from similar circumstances."

"Wait, he owns a brothel, right? But he gets people out of them?" Yanek cocked a skeptical brow, then began tugging on various things around Sevei's uniform.

"Well, he knows it's not for everyone," Sevei explained. "He'll only have anyone in the Aviary who wants to be there."

"Why would anyone...?"

"They all have their own reasons. Kyri does it because he likes it. No... he loves it. Others may do as well, and there's a lot of money to be made, if you can stomach the work. Those in the shop wouldn't be able to. Their histories tend to be...more difficult. But Kyri takes care of them, gives them a home, teaches them business, gets them a proper education if they're academically inclined. Some have gone on to scholarly professions, or gone into business for themselves."

"That all sounds very different from what I've heard about the wh... courtesan business," Yanek noted.

Sevei gave him a sideways glare accompanied by a light smile. "It is. It's probably easier here in Brinland – probably much easier further south – than it would be in Valesk, especially for the Aviary's particular offering. Never go to a male brothel in Valesk... um... not that you would."

"It's bad there, hmm?"

"The more secretive a place must keep things, the more likely you'll find... unwilling participants."

"I think your friend must be a very good man, then," Yanek said, brushing some lint off of Sevei's shoulder just as a knock sounded at their door. "I'm sorry I said he's as pretty as a girl."