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Harok looks at him blankly.

“Sho,” Tobi says. Wondering if Harok wants him to also sit on the dais for court. He points to himself. “Kushir feren?”

“Sho,” says Harok. Then a lot more Tobi doesn’t understand. But he is sure he is right about what happens now. He wonders what he will learn at the Ambolk court. Although he will not understand much if it will be entirely conducted in a language he only knows a handful of words of.

He really needs to learn more Ambolk. Not just words that are useful in the bed chamber. Feren, he thinks to himself. He has learned another.

Also, if he is to attend court, Tobi has a small plan to soothe Harok’s anger from the previous night. If his misbehaviour made the Ambolk — he should start thinking of them as the Solwen — think Tobi was not being satisfied by his Irgorye, he intends to demonstrate that is far from the case.

With a small, but convincing performance.

Dressed in a fresh alit and his grey cloak, Tobi follows Harok into the Sacred Hall. The room is full of Solwen, eating and drinking food that is laid out on the long tables. Tobi manages to snatch two honeycakes as they pass, but mostly he is concentrating on walking behind Harok with the distinct limping gait of the well-fucked. He is sure people notice the delicate walk replacing his usual swagger.

When he follows Harok up onto the dais, and Harok gestures for him to sit on a low, cushioned stool beside the throne, Tobi seats himself gingerly. As if his hole is thoroughly wrecked. It’s not purely performance, part of it is the truth. He is sore from the way Harok had taken him the previous night. He bites his lip and looks down at the faces of the Solwen then lets his cloak fall off one shoulder, revealing a purple bite mark Harok left there. He knows he looks debauched. A well-used kushir being displayed by his Irgorye.

Tobi glances at Harok, who is looking at him along with everyone else in the hall. Harok purses his lips, a soft expression that could be a smile. He leans over and fussily repositions Tobi’s cloak, murmuring something in Ambolk, “Ei kushessa. Da feren.” It sounds like an admonishment, but a playful one. Tobi still isn’t sure exactly what kushessa means, but he thinks Harok is telling him to behave more modestly at court. Although, Tobi is also sure Harok is enjoying his small acknowledgment of his Irgorye’s virility. No one in the room can doubt that Harok has satisfied his kushir in the bed chamber.

Throughout the morning, petitioners come and go. Tobi watches. It isn’t very interesting, but he does his best to understand what is happening from gestures and facial expressions. One of the petitioners is Lymok who explains something to the court with great urgency. Whatever it is, he seems very concerned about it.

Harok eventually responds, but the only words Tobi understands of what he says is, “Exceli.” And then, “Lymok.”

When Lymok has been ushered away, seemingly satisfied by whatever Harok said, no further petitioners approach. A pair of servants step onto the dais and offer refreshments to all the seated court. Tobi takes a gold goblet that contains something similar to the floral scented drink that he was given before the feast. A lighter, more refreshing version of flower cup. It is quite delicious but he would dearly love some of the bark tea. However none of that seems to be on offer.

As he finishes drinking the flower cup, Harok touches him on the shoulder. Tobi looks up into Harok’s black painted eyes, “Suskara,” Harok says. Then he calls out into the crowd of Solwen, “Lymok!”

Lymok appears through the crowds. Harok and Lymok exchange some words of Ambolk before Harok says to Tobi, “Suskara, idi nal.” And some more words of Ambolk, which Lymok translates.

“Kushir,” Lymok says. “Harok has business to attend to. He has asked me to take you to the library and teach you some Ambolk words.”

“Oh,” Tobi says. He looks up at Harok, “Damalik,” he says.

Harok nods and turns, walking away. As he does, Tobi notices his guard has appeared as swiftly and silently as if they had melted out of the walls.

Tobi follows Lymok through the passageway that leads to Mereli’s chambers. But Lymok doesn’t take the stairs, instead he leads Tobi on until they reach a wide set of carved doors. Lymok opens them and Tobi follows him into a vast library.

Tobi is growing used to the scale of everything in Urynwud, but this room still takes his breath. Walls covered, for once, not in foliage and trailing leaves, but books. Books upon books. A gallery curves around above Tobi’s head to reach the highest of shelves that stretch right up to a domed, glazed ceiling. Fur rugs cover the stone floor.

Tobi looks up at the towering shelves and vast collection of books. He feels slightly sick at the sight of so many of them.

There is a fire burning bright in a small hearth and before it a table of brightly polished wood and two cushioned chairs. “I was meant to be travelling to Ceruleum today with the traders,” says Lymok, taking one of the chairs, “But Harok has agreed to send some of his warriors instead and I have been promoted to your Ambolk tutor.”

Tobi nods. “I’m very keen to learn Ambolk. What has he bid you teach me?”

“I believe he is keen for you to be able to communicate with him. He must be interested in what you have to say. Would you like to start by learning the Ambolk letters?” Lymok waves an arm towards the shelves of books.

Tobi shakes his head, as he sits down opposite Lymok. “Oh, I doubt that would do any good. I will learn better if I speak the words. In truth, I barely know my Artemian letters. I do not have a head for it. My tutors at the Rose Palace despaired of me.”

“The Rose Palace,” says Lymok. “Truly, you have been to the Jewel of the Empire. Mereli has told me that it is very beautiful. Finer even than Urynwud.”

“It is.” Tobi looks at Lymok. It seems strange that Lymok is Azurian, but he barely knows its grand and fabled history. “What words could I learn first? The numbers? Or a greeting?”

“Perhaps you ought to learn bedchamber words?”

Tobi shakes his head. “No. I have learnt quite a few of those. Although, I would like to know what kushessa means.”

“Oh, I apologise for the behaviour of the traders. They have no manners and probably never dreamed they would ever converse with a kushir.”

“No,” says Tobi. He had forgotten that the traders also called him kushessa and Lymok scolded them for it. “I…” he says, then trails off.