The Ambassadors (4 page)

"So you draw other things?" Calo interpreted. "And paintings as well?"

"Mmhmm," Anike murmured, swallowing a bite of apple.

"Like what?" Reni asked, sitting up slowly and tugging the basket down to him. He pulled out his own bottle of wine and snagged one of the neatly wrapped sandwiches.

"Whatever catches my fancy," Anike replied, and then blushed because he'd been drawing quite a bit of Reni and Calo lately. For practice, that was all, of course, since they were so different from the people he normally drew.

Reni grinned, but didn't press. Anike watched for a moment as he sank his fangs into the sandwich before tearing his gaze away. Staring at the half-finished painting, Anike took another bite of his apple even as his fingers itched to pick up a paintbrush and work on it some more.

"What—" Anike began, but hesitated. Did he really want to encourage them any, even if it was only by asking simple questions?

"Yes?" Calo prompted, smiling. It wasn't his usual, predatory smile, but just … a smile, and Anike did his best to ignore it.

"What made you decide to come here?" Anike asked, giving into his curiosity. Calo glanced at Reni, and they both grinned.

"Our mother," they replied simultaneously, and Anike laughed, clapping a hand over his mouth as their grins widened.

"She's a little …" Reni began, but paused, looking thoughtful.

"… overbearing," Calo finished dryly. "And we've had diplomatic training."

"And were curious," Reni spoke up, taking a swig of his wine. "Marana only just opened the borders a few years ago."

"No one has seen anything." Calo tugged the last little bottle of wine free of the basket. "The furthest away anyone has gone has been out to sea, and then just to the islands off of the coast."

"There's nothing there," Reni informed Anike, grinning. "It's boring."

"This is more interesting," Calo continued with a wink. Anike smiled a little, amused but trying to not show it.

"We haven't seen much yet," Reni said, looking sly. "Just some of the palace."

"The gardens are new, even," Calo told him, smiling. "I'd heard tell they were hidden away somewhere around here, but we hadn't had an excuse to seek them out yet."

"What are your favorite parts of your country?" Reni asked, taking a deep drink of wine. Anike's eyes followed the curve of Reni's throat before he realized that the question had been directed at him.

"Oh, um," Anike stammered, not having expected the question. "I don't know. The gardens are nice."

"They are quite lovely," Calo drawled, and Anike blushed because surely they'd wanted something more creative than that.

"What else?" Reni prompted, and Anike shrugged.

"I don't go many places," he demurred, fiddling with the bottle of wine.

"Where did you grow up?" Calo asked. "Surely not in the palace?"

"Oh, no." Anike shook his head. "I grew up in town. The prince saw my paintings on one of his tours."

"What is there to do about town?" Reni asked, and Anike didn't really like the way he asked that. They were planning something.

"I … you could go to the marketplace?" Anike suggested. "There are some nice shops there."

"Something to placate mother," Calo told Reni, who snickered and nodded. They exchanged a look and Anike wondered what they were thinking when identical smirks crossed their faces.

"I'm sure there are other places to go," Calo prompted, and Anike shrugged, running a hand through his hair as he thought.

"Some of the countryside is nice, if you wanted to do some riding," Anike suggested. "Though the palace is plenty full of things to do. There are … six libraries, I think. And there are always events and entertainment."

"We're looking for ordinary things," Reni clarified a little, grinning at Anike. "Things that aren't magnificent and staged to impress us. Like marketplaces."

"The libraries are a good place, too," Anike said lightly, trying to not read too much into that. "Especially … there are books about cultures and our government and that sort of thing, if you're looking to learn."

"It's at the top of our list," Calo assured him, snagging some loose grapes from the basket. "Would you be willing to play escort if we went into town?"

"What?" Anike blushed, shaking his head. "No, you should get one of the nobles to take you. They'll—"

"Spend the entire trip trying to suck up," Reni cut him off, giving him a quick smile. "No, thank you."

"We would prefer to spend time with someone who isn't …" Calo trailed off, gesturing with a grape.

"Pompous," Reni filled in.

"Pretentious," Calo added, shrugging.

"Besides, you don't even like us," Reni said, and Anike choked on the wine he was swallowing. "So I doubt you're trying to curry favor."

Calo shot his brother a dark look, frowning as Anike coughed, his eyes watering.

"Are you all right?" He asked with concern, and Anike managed a nod, coughing a few more times.

"I—" Anike began, but it came out strangled-sounding so he took a sip of wine to soothe his throat. Reni was watching him with a carefully blank look, and Calo looked like he was sorely tempted to kick his brother.

"I like you fine," Anike managed, his cheeks hot from nearly inhaling his wine and not anything else.

"You don't seem to," Reni pressed, sitting up straight. Anike stared at him helplessly, not sure what to say. Reni's eyes flashed with emotion, and Calo set the basket on the ground, sliding across the bench to where Anike sat.

"Do you like us, lovely?" Calo asked quietly, brushing Anike's hair out of his face. Anike shut his eyes and nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Calo's soft fingers ran down his cheek and along his jaw, and Anike didn't jump when a gentle kiss was brushed across his lips.

"Open your eyes," Calo told him, and Anike did, unsurprised to find Calo inches away. A soft touch on his arm drew Anike's attention to Reni, who had climbed up onto the bench next to him.

"Truly?" Reni asked, and Anike didn't bother to answer. He just reached out and sank his hands into Reni's neat black hair and pulled him close enough to kiss. Reni kissed back immediately, hot and consuming and Anike's thoughts scattered completely as Calo's hands slid under his shirt to tease along his skin.

"Lovely," Reni breathed against his lips, and Anike shook his head, letting Calo draw him that way. Calo kissed slow and smooth, and Anike shivered, pushing Calo away after a moment to breathe.

"This isn't right," Anike protested feebly, and Reni kissed him again, nibbling teasingly at his lower lip before pulling away.

"It's perfect," they both said, and Anike flushed, taking a deep breath and trying to center himself.

"I—" Anike started, but shook his head. "I need to finish painting you," he said to Reni, tracing paint-stained fingers along high curve of Reni's cheekbone.

"All right," Reni drawled, catching his hand and brushing a soft kiss across the back of Anike's fingers. He stood, and Anike's cheeks were burning but he let Reni tug him to his feet. Calo followed, gently kissing his cheek before relinquishing him. Reni didn't let go until Anike was standing in front of the canvas again, and then he moved to resume his seat in front of Anike.

Anike took a deep breath and focused on not thinking. They'd get bored of him soon enough, and then he could get back to his normal life, depressing as that thought was. Anike picked up his paintbrush again, looking past his canvas to where Reni sat, his features schooled into almost the same solemn expression he'd worn before lunch. His eyes were brighter though, their green-gold color standing out more, and there was a small smile hovering about his lips.

Anike smiled a little, and went back to work.

Anike walked slowly down the hallway. He probably could have gone slower if he tried, but then he'd be extra late.

He was nervous, which was stupid, but there it was. Anike rubbed at his hands self-consciously, wishing he had scrubbed long enough to get the smears of paint off his fingers. At least he'd managed a proper bath and was dressed neatly. Anike tugged at the bottom of his shirt, trying to straighten the imaginary wrinkles from it.

Anike didn't hesitate when he reached the proper door. It wouldn't do him any good, so he knocked immediately, rubbing once more at the paint on his hands before settling himself. They knew what he did for a living. Paint smears were a part of the business.

"Can I help you?" A deep voice asked, and Anike froze, startled because he didn't know the man who'd opened the door. He was obviously a Maranan, with the same odd eyes as Calo and Reni. His skin had more of a green tint to it, his eyes were a dusky amber, and he wasn't nearly as pretty.

Anike stared, a blush slowly heating his cheeks as his tongue refused to work.

"Right," the Maranan rolled his eyes and shut the door on Anike. Anike winced, wondering which was stupider—making his retreat, or knocking again and hoping he could figure out how to talk before the door got shut on him again.

What would he say, though? He wasn't scruffy looking, but he wasn't dressed well enough to be anything more than a nuisance.

Why had Anike never seen another Maranan besides Calo and Reni before? Surely they didn't keep to the suite the entire time. Not that it was any of his business. Anike sighed, taking a step away. They could come find him, and then laugh at him when he told them what happened. He couldn't knock again and try to convince the strange Maranan that he was supposed to meet Calo and Reni.

Anike ran a hand through his hair, starting to walk away. He'd only gotten a few yards down the hallway when the door opened again. Pausing, he glanced over his shoulder, wincing when he caught Calo's gaze.

"Don't run off yet," Calo teased, smiling as he stepped out into the hallway.

"Sorry," Anike offered, his blush coming back full force. Really, could his ineptitude get any worse?

"It's all right, Pinal is intimidating." Calo smirked at him, teasing at a bit of his hair as he got into reach.

"He's not you or Reni," Anike explained, feeling more than a little stupid, but content to stand there with Calo and not face Pinal again. "I was confused."

"Our entourage arrived today," Calo said, drawing Anike closer to the room. "We were hoping they'd stay lost at the border, but no such luck, unfortunately."

"I heard that," Pinal declared, looming out of the doorway. Anike blushed when Pinal's unwavering gaze landed on him.

"Hear this, too," Calo drawled. "Find yourself someplace else to be tonight."

Pinal frowned, giving Anike another, darker look. Anike took a step back without thinking about it and ran right into Calo's chest. Calo chuckled, taking the opportunity to wrap an arm around Anike's waist.

"Now, Pinal," Calo directed, his tone firm, and Anike fought an inappropriate shiver.

"Yes, sir," Pinal agreed in a stiff tone, his back straightening. He stepped out of the room sharply and stalked down the hallway. Anike watched him for a minute, trying not to think about how close Calo was.

"Come on, let's go in," Calo murmured in his ear and Anike did shiver a little, letting Calo lead him into the ambassadorial suite.

"Hello, pretty artist," Reni greeted, lounging bonelessly on a couch near the fire. Anike's breath caught, both because Reni was wearing very little and Calo took the opportunity of his distraction to nip at his neck. Calo chuckled, drawing Anike closer to the fire and his brother, and Anike wondered if he was going to be able to survive the evening with them if he felt overwhelmed already.

"You're late," Reni told him as Calo let go with a lingering brush of fingers along Anike's back. Reni reached up and snagged his hand, pulling him closer and brushing a warm kiss across the back of Anike's knuckles, heedless of the paint smears.

"Sorry," Anike said, offering no explanation for his tardiness. He let out a yelp when Reni tugged him down to the couch. "Ow."

"Sorry, lovely." Reni sounded anything but sorry, but Anike didn't call him on it, too distracted by kissing Reni. Reni let out a pleased little noise and sank a hand into his hair, drawing him closer and kissing him back fiercely.

Anike broke away after a minute to glance up at Calo, uncertain of how this was going to work, with both Calo and Reni. Calo smirked, but gracefully dropped to his knees next to the couch. Anike watched, a little surprised when Calo went for his brother instead of him. Anike blushed for an entirely different reason as Calo kissed Reni possessively and Reni kissed Calo just as intently. So that wouldn't be an issue, then. Calo broke off with a smirk, and Reni just grinned, breathless and tousled, still stretched out on the couch shamelessly.

"Still interested, lovely?" Calo asked, and if Anike hadn't been watching closely he would have missed the flicker of uncertainty that flashed across his face. Anike covered his face with his hands, because there was no missing what that question offered. His last chance to leave … if not gracefully, then before any true harm was done.

"Are you okay?" Reni questioned, and the shift of fabric was the only warning Anike got before Reni's fingers combed through his hair.