Huge Ajax's Arc

Chapter 286 of 619

That night Ajax called all twelve to the hall. He stood at the carved table and named the thing he had chewed on since dawn. "You stayed past your oaths because you chose to," he said. "A man who chooses can choose again. I will ask you take a permanent vow soon. You have one full day to decide whether to stay for good or leave.” Tucker leaned back in his chair and said nothing. "Then it's known," Ajax said. "The twelve of you are the house. Sworn to it for now. Tomorrow you will be swearing also to me. If you take the chain and the table, you take Black Oak until you die or I release you. We meet tomorrow at dinner. Privately with me, you will vow or not to become the Council of Twelve.” Tucker stayed after the others drifted off. He poured two cups and slid one across the table. "Big words tonight," he said. "Sworn to you." He drank. "You lay in my arms this morning. Then you built a wall around it by supper." "I built a house that holds," Ajax said. "Sure." Tucker turned his cup slow on the wood. His two gold chains caught the low fire. "I've watched you these months. You touch a man, you bind him. Marco. Bran. Kael. Torren." He looked up, steady, no smile now. "Aldric. Me. Say it plain. Which of us at that table have you kissed?" The fire popped. Ajax had known the question would come from someone. He had not thought it would be Tucker, who missed nothing and forgave most things. He could lie. Tucker would let him. But a lie between them would sit in the wall like a cracked stone. "Marco," Ajax said. "Bran. Kael. Torren. Aldric. You." Tucker did not flinch. He counted on one hand, then held up six fingers. "Half the sworn." He set his hand down. "You made it a rule for the men. Consent in camp, no games. And you've been kissing your way through the roster." "Every one chose it," Ajax said. "None was forced." "I don't doubt it." Tucker stood. He drained his cup and set it down without sound. "You just asked twelve men to a leader who kisses six of them and hides it from the other six." Aja’s said, “They talk. They already know. They know what they are swearing into.” He walked to the door, then stopped. The door shut. Ajax sat alone with two empty cups. The others sat alone with a decision to make and hopefully a favorable one.