It was one of those rare evenings when the Emperor has invited Gar to his chambers for a meal. Often the purpose was to pry on Gar’s life back home, to give lofty histories of his people, clearly trying to woo the young man to a new way of thinking. And as always he opened with asking if there was anything his young guest could want. After all, he wasn’t cruel to Gar. Not directly. But something might be said about what he let his people get away with.

But the question, oft asked, was just as oft ignored. This time, though, Dorrek frowned at him. Months and he was getting angry and annoyed.

“You know I cannot. And still you ask. Do I not provide for you here? You are safe and well fed and live a peaceful life. I could have had you killed instead.”