It was a delicate subject, and one they had carefully avoided for the past seventeen years. "Agamo, this meeting was the last thing I wanted for today, but the priests are calling for us to honor the agreement."
Agamo impatiently shook his head while Khanis' servants set out wine and other delicacies. His former rival always set an excellent table; it was a shame he had no appetite. "Surely some other arrangement can be made?"
"I put the same question to the priests. The gods stand on any oath taken in their name, they say, and the words were very specific. There is no way around it."
"How could such a thing be binding?" Agamo sipped at his wine. Getting drunk was a tempting alternative to this meeting, but he knew better. Drink was what had gotten him into this predicament in the first place. "No heirs could possibly come of it."
Khanis gestured for the servants to leave. "Then you should have been more cautious in your words. 'The next-born child,' indeed! Píru of the Silver Hands hears all."
Agamo wagged a finger at him. "Don't you start with me. You saw nothing wrong with the wording of the agreement at the time, and I had no way to know it wouldn't be a girl."
"You were drunk, that's what."
"And you weren't? You agreed to it." Agamo rubbed his eyes with one hand. The wine was looking more tempting by the moment. "It's been difficult grooming Suryo for this, and your son isn't going to take too kindly to being saddled with a boy instead of a pretty girl who can give him sons."
Reaching for the decanter, Khanis refilled his own cup. "It's a temporary arrangement, and it isn't as if Alasson hasn't had his share of pretty boys," he said. "He'll do as he's told if he wants his bride."
"My son isn't some painted boy from the Shalathi Way that he can use for one night and discard," said Agamo. "I expect him to be well treated. You know that finding him a wife after this will be next to impossible should the word get out. He should at least have some respect for what he's sacrificing."
"Suryo will be an honored guest in my home. You have my word on that, and I will make certain my son knows it as well." Khanis speared a morsel of desert hare on his knife, offering the platter to his guest before popping the meat into his mouth. "As for what to do with him afterward, there's always the priesthood. They don't seem as concerned with such things as the rest of us, and a bright boy like Suryo could rise quite high in the service of some god or other."
Agamo, tearing off a piece of flat bread, muttered something under his breath about necessity. "He ought to be home increasing our profits, not wasting his talents in the priesthood." Shaking his head, still muttering, he bit into the bread. "Foolish oath," he mumbled.
"Regret it all you want," said Khanis. "There's nothing to be done about it now."
)
