|
The building site for the new temple was not empty that day. Lord Korak arrived upon his horse, and swept a glance over it all. The temple he had strove for was coming into being at last. He could see the money he relinquished building up before his eyes in the form of a majestic building. Yet... if he had been in charge of the building, and not just the funding, he would have made it more majestic than it was. Especially that one spot that he could see from the corner of his eye.
It was then he noticed the Lady Arshalous. His lips turned downwards in a deep frown, and for a moment he considered returning to his home. But, no! He recalled swiftly that when the two of them stood upon this ground, he stood as the victor. The Lady Arshalous, who so opposed the idea of the new temple, was also funding it. She was working alongside him, working for something she did not want. He held the upper hand here. And he thought in passing that the one spot did not look so very bad after all, but it was simply the Lady Arshalous' presence by it, fouling it and making it look dark and dreary.
Lord Korak dismounted and moved towards his Lady Cousin, leading his horse along by the reins. Perhaps it did not occur to him that horses were disapproved of by the King, or perhaps he was merely being defiant. Morashk, lurking in the shadows, wondered this. Of course Korak knew that the King disapproved, but perhaps he did not know that he really did disapprove, and it was not merely a show. Lord Korak was always putting on shows himself. Disloyalty? Morashk laughed at the thought. He would die for his master, but he would not refrain from thinking of him as he would.
"My Lady Cousin," said Korak, bowing slightly. He wondered what would happen if he kissed her hand. She would probably strike him. That would never do in public, when he could not strike back. For the Lord Korak would have no qualms about striking back... if there were not many eyes watching.
He turned then, and looked at on-going temple with approving eyes. "It is a magnificent prospect we see before us," he said. "And it could not have been if you had not been so gracious as to give some of your wealth for it. Perhaps it is odd that we are working together, or perhaps it is merely a usual occurrence in fate. Nevertheless, we are working together, and achieving a temple to the sky god. You are achieving a temple to the sky god, dear cousin."
|