Despite being free of his chains, Vheeran didn’t feel comfortable walking around the palace again. Even if he was no longer a temporary prisoner.

     “My Lord.” a guard on duty struck the butt of the spear he held against the ground, as the soon-to-be commander approached, and he gave his superior a respectful bow. “The Emperor awaits you in the dining room. You’d best not keep him waiting.”

     Vheeran nodded his thanks at the man and hurried over to the dining room of Aradax’s jewelled palace.

     The palace was a thing of beauty, made of a strong sandstone cement with jewels the size of fists buried into it, creating a jagged yet exquisite exterior. Ten thousand slaves had worked to build the palace for the emperor’s ancestors, many generations back, and it had grown to be one of the strongest palaces around. It was practically indestructible and, thanks to Aradax’s strict laws, almost impossible to escape without being noticed.

     As he swiftly approached the dining room, Vheeran straightened his tunic out and brushed at it to remove any potential hair that had latched itself onto his fine clothes. Giving the doors a heavy push, they swung open before him, and he immediately took in the sound of roaring laughter and wine being poured. The room smelled of Jasmine incense; it swam around the room in great clouds and the scent mingled with that of Aradax’s large pipe which he held in one fat hand. In the other, he held a glass that swayed with wine.

     Servants wandered around the room, piling his plate high with food and refilling his drink. Two more men sat with him, perhaps only a few years older than Vheeran himself, and they too laughed and drank with the emperor as if a familiar bond of friendship ran between the three of them.

     A whore dangled across each man’s lap, caressing them in any place they liked. They fed the men themselves, grapes and meat and bread dipped in honey—of which the commanders fed them in return.

     Aradax let out a loud laugh and raised his cup up at Vheeran. “Ah, Boy, you’ve finally showed up. Come and sit. Eat, enjoy a whore or two. Tonight is about you and your companions.” he ordered. The emperor was in particularly high spirits this evening, no doubt he was in an environment of his liking.

     Vheeran found his place by the table and allowed a slave boy to bring him a bowl of water and a towel, of which he used to wash his hands. He nodded his head in thanks and dismissed the boy.

     Aradax laughed again as the woman on his lap whispered something in his ear, per his request. Vheeran kept his mind closed to any guesses on what she could have said. Looking around the table, he found the other two Commanders grinning at him.

     “Vheeran Tazim,” Aradax began. “Allow me to introduce Asathee Khazadan and Dhree Faraday. Both these fine men will be your Brothers-in Arms, your fellow commanders. I’m certain you will all get along.” he said, talking as though he were a father introducing his bastard children to each other for the first time. It was a surprise he hadn’t added in how he expected them to behave like the good children they were. Vheeran suppressed a smile at that thought. The emperor turned his attention to the far end of the table and as Vheeran’s gaze followed, his jaw dropped a little. Aradax’s lips curved into a wicked smile.

     A young girl sat at the far end, silent and disconsolate from the activities within the dining room. She knew the emperor was staring at her, but she didn’t acknowledge him - a move that was either bold, stupid or perhaps both.

     Aradax looked at Vheeran and smiled again. “That young beauty at the far end, it’s my pleasure to introduce her as Jinx Mortaery. A talented young girl.” he said and smiled at having caught the commander’s attention.

     Vheeran glanced back at the girl, before asking Aradax, “Is she your...?”

     Aradax cut the commander off with a snort and pulled the woman on his lap closer to him. “No. I’d thought about it the first time, but I reckoned she would be more useful outside of my bed.” he explained all too casually.

     A bare-chested girl approached Vheeran, her thin silk skirt swaying against the floor as she walked, and she settled into his lap with a broad smile. “And who this handsome young man? How I not seen him before?” she asked. Her accent was thick, foreign; and one that Vheeran couldn’t quite make out. She was no doubt a slave before she had become…of some other use to the emperor and his men. She stroked his newly groomed beard and smiled at him.

     Vheeran smiled back, but his interest wasn’t entirely on her. At the same time, he didn’t want to appear rude. He had no interest in women, or anything really, at the moment. Why would he? Vheeran had only just received news of his disastrous promotion to commander. Each time he leaned forward for his cup or to help himself to his food, Vheeran made sure he got a clear view of the girl—Jinx—at the far end of the table.

     Jinx didn’t even look at him, she didn’t look at anyone for that matter. It was as though she was too afraid to. She knew Vheeran was staring, but she didn’t allow him the pleasure of meeting his gaze. There was an exotic beauty about her, her hair gleamed blue-black in the light of the candles, thick and dark like ink. Her bronze skin mingled beautifully with hazel, doe eyes and through the silk dress she wore, the commander could make out ample breasts and a strong stomach.

     Vheeran dismissed the woman on his lap with a gentle thank you and she left him. “I assume when you said we should lie low, we should,” he began.

     Aradax dismissed his words with a wave of his hand. “Let’s not talk about that for today, you’ve only just been elected. For the next few weeks running up to the announcement of your promotions,” he paused to pin the four of them down with a stare. “You will oversee the training of new recruits, handle the barracks. Nothing too extensive, I don’t want to raise any suspicions about your promotions.” Aradax explained behind a mouthful of honey and mustard glazed salmon.

     That took Vheeran by surprise. He hadn’t expected Aradax to name a woman as one of his commanders; let alone one that looked as young as Jinx. She was perhaps only, Vheeran guessed, nineteen or twenty. Young, yet an incredible honour for a woman no doubt. She would be untouchable to any man, except to the emperor himself.

     For the rest of the evening, the men enjoyed themselves as much as Vheeran had expected them to. They ate and drank and ate some more. It felt good to have decent food in their mouths again.

     Yet Jinx Mortaery didn’t acknowledge the men. She sat as silent and as still as ever. With her hands held in her lap, she kept to herself. No one noticed the way she pressed her thumbs together, as though to contain the anger raging inside her. She didn’t want anyone to know.

     Aradax took note of her silence, but he didn’t include her in the activities during dinner. The emperor knew the whores were making her uncomfortable. He certainly enjoyed their company, so he found that her opinion of them didn’t matter much. By the time dinner had come to an end, he had carried off two women without even wishing a good night to his new commanders.

     Asathee and Dhree had stayed a few minutes longer before they too found themselves a woman of their liking; at least they had had the decency to ask first if the women wished to accompany them back to their chambers. Unlike Aradax, they wished both Vheeran and Jinx a very good night and made off for the privacy of their chambers.

     Left alone with Vheeran, Jinx met his gaze. She didn’t smile, nor did the corners of her lips give any suggestions she was about to. She rested her gaze on Vheeran and her lips parted as though she wanted to say something to him, but felt there wouldn’t be a point.

     Vheeran cleared his throat and rose from his seat, causing Jinx to do the same, and as he approached her, she drew a step back. “My name is Vheeran Tazim. I was,” he began.

     “I knew who you were before the Emperor even named you Commander.” Jinx cut in. Her voice was pleasant, young, and resembling nothing of the strong woman she appeared to be.

     Vheeran’s eyes softened as he took her appearance in once more. He felt his pulse quicken at the sight of her, and he was certain he saw her cheeks flush pink against her bronze skin. After a moment of awkward silence, he took Jinx’s hand in his and pressed it against his lips. “I’m glad I’ll get to see you again. Tomorrow, perhaps?” he said.

     Jinx raised an eyebrow at him and turned away. “Goodnight, Lord Tazim.” was all she said in response. With a swish of her silk dress, she left the dining room without another word.

     Vheeran found himself numb with exhaustion and dizzy from the wine. He had had too much, more than he cared to admit; even to himself. As he stumbled back to his chambers, he had just enough energy to push the heavy doors open and fall inside. Securing the door with bolt and chain, he rested his head against the wood. After a moment he pounded his forehead against the door and let out a heavy sigh.

     The newly appointed commander wanted nothing more than to sleep at this moment. He wanted to fall sleep and, with luck, never wake up again.