“Thank you for the great Night. The Meal and the Theater afterwards were so delightful.”
“Um, the Theater was your plan. Only the Meal would be my doing, Elly.”
“... take the hint and just say ‘you’re welcome’ sometimes. To be honest it was great to see what I want to see myself and you were accompanying me. I am having so much work most of the time, I have a hard time to relax. I will tell you when I have the time for another meetup for the clothes we were discussing.”
Drak deflated a bit like someone punctured a ball.
“You could not forget that, did you? I was really hoping you would.”
“No. I will keep your promise and you should be prepared for it. As you get Money from your Benefactor, you should be able to pay yourself, right? He made my Uncle bleed quite a lot of coins the last time I heard of him.”
“But that was… Um, I heard it was because of the taxes there needed to be included. There is no way to keep the prices, if there had to be paid taxes on them, right?”
“Isn’t it already good to let it not be illegal anymore? What a greedy bunch, hmpf!”
Taxes must now be included as it was an officially signed contract with the law-abiding Imperial Family. While it made the whole thing harder and also prone to taxation the whole enterprise was now secure as the official Guards oversee the transport and exchange place.
Small parts of the ingots vanishing might be fine, but if there is a full robbery, then it would be like beating a hornets nest while naked. Underground Organizations like the Syndicate would never try to harm an official business like that, as it would be going to war with the black Merchant, the City Guards and the full might of the Imperial Decree, as it cuts into the flesh of the Empire directly without remorse.
“Yeah, I get it. Still not my problem as it is my Benefactor’s doing.”
While saying it so nonchalantly Eleonora was pouting and glaring daggers at him. She knew everything but could not say anything as Alice stopped the strange spell which changes the words already.
“AND you will pay for a nice Meal before and after the fitting! Better prepare your Wallet!”
“Sure, there are some Restaurants I’ve heard about, which have a good atmosphere and Family cooking that I want to visit at least once before the end of School. So why not visit them together?”
“Family? Whose House?”
“It is not a Noble House, rather a homemade standard in cooking. Food made with regular ingredients but processed and cooked with care and love has the moniker of ‘Family cooking’. Something tasting like it was made by a Wife who wants to put a smile on her Husband and Children.”
“Is that so? Now I am interested in it.”
“Then it is decided. I will ask my Servants to look into the best places for a first visit and should hopefully be ready, when you have needed free time.”
While still about a bit miffed over the trick of pushing the blame on a fictitious Benefactor, Eleonora was now a bit more appeased after hearing how Drak seriously thought about their next date in advance.
—
“How was the meeting, Princess?”
“While I got no good Information about anything, the fact of how Drak Berklin knows about the heightened price shows him to be a valuable asset with background Information about the Merchant’s business. I can connect with these Information, that the plan of making Drak his front Merchant while our target hides in the back is highly plausible.”
“Information could be pulled out of him with more direct methods, what do you think about those plans?”
“Impossible. Torture or Magic could be found out easily and also the possibility of more hidden Guardians than those two or maybe all four Maids is close to certain.”
“Good. Ascertaining possibilities and calculating risks is more than acceptable already. Helping in subtle interrogation through smalltalk, leading the discussion or honey trap are impossible for my knowledge and need a different tutor though.”
“I do not need those for now. Better to focus on one part before the next. Also a honey trap… I do not think it would be right for this Mission… And I rather not think about what kind of ‘training’ this pertains, so please do not talk about that again.”
“As you wish Princess. The Imperial Envoy had questions about our success rate and progress. The latest report was also taken for review. Mostly everything pro forma, but better be diligent in writing those, as they can be referenced if something goes wrong. It saved my life twice in my career I am allowed to talk about.”
“Thank you Spymaster. I would like to rest and recollect my thoughts before making a written statement.”
“As you wish, Princess.”
The Spymaster left the lounge after the dismissal while Eleonora was only glancing on his back but noticed something strange. She thought she saw something in the Spymaster, but was not sure, if it was just a play of the light and her sleepiness playing tricks on her or if there really was something poking out of his hair.
“I must be rather tired. Maybe it's better to write the recollection tomorrow and go to sleep early.”
Eleonora was tired and just took a quick bath before her daily routine of brushing her platinum hair. After being satisfied with the feeling of her hair she got into her nightgown and drifted into an early sleep.
—
“Here again? I remember I fell asleep right on this horn of our Behemoth. Wait, ‘our’? Am I already thinking of myself as one of them?”
Realizing she was back in her Vision she rethought many things she held as a given. While she was right now in the form of a Bird she was a Princess of the Empire. Obviously her life was so much livelier right now as a free bird in a vast world, but she also had her duty.
“No, I can not have that duty like that. The red ring around my left leg is a total given of how I am now with them. I wonder what would have happened, if I did not have taken the ring.”
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‘if I did not have taken the ring… not have taken the ring… the ring… ring’
An echo was heard all around her and it was her own voice. Like some kind of mantra echoing through the whole world rewriting fate like a woolen tapestry unraveled to be knitted anew with a different design.
Feeling her left leg growing cold she looked down to see the ring slowly vanishing in a wave of frost freeing her from being connected to all of them. The birds she called her friends for so long looked at her and had sorrow in their eyes. The crows following her out of their free will circled her to protect her from whatever might happen. The Behemoth mighty and strong saw all this and seemed to struggle with a decision to make. She knew he was strong enough to stop whatever is happening and had the power to revert whatever might happen right now.
Finally coming to a decision he looked at the little swan perching on its horn with sorrowful eyes slightly moist and she could feel the emotions he was emanating. Giving the slightest push with his own power the rewrite was truly happening now, Time flowed in reverse and everything she experienced was being erased. Only the Behemoth was unfazed by the chaos of time reversal like a cliff still splitting the waves in two while a massive typhoon is raging.
‘see for yourself’
The thoughts were not spoken but she could feel them in her own heart as the Behemoth walked into the chaos by himself and was engulfed by the powers.
At the end there was nothing and with a flash Eleonora was back in her golden cage. Time was back to where she was before taking the ring. Shocked she looked around and saw the golden cage pristine and untouched.
“Those bars move slightly. They are still…!”
Realizing it was not because of the Ring she was frightened. Wasn’t the Ring turning things into animals? Why are they still here? A dozen more unanswerable questions shot through her head being drowned out by even more new questions.
Behind her she felt a slight wind. Turning around she saw the Behemoth with slightly open mouth breathing in.
“What is he doing? Ah! The Ring!”
Seeing the ring being dragged into the mouth of the Behemoth with just a slight breath her chance to grab it was gone. Looking up Eleonora saw the slight open eyes emanating loneliness and sorrow.
“He still knows? He took the ring I rejected…”
Shocked, she could just stare at him in sorrow and apology, but whatever she tried to say was stuck in her mouth without a possibility to be heard. Looking at each other for a long time a sudden golden piece of Paper with a Key on it just appeared on his forehead and without further ado he turned around and stomped away. All Birds are waddling, flying, walking, hopping or whatever way of movement those weird Birds use for locomotion with the Behemoth further away.
“Wait! Where are you going?! Why are you leaving so sudden?!”
No answer came, just the chirping of all those birds and the silent and careful stomps of the giant Mountain range slowly vanishing in some kind of fog.
“I am too far away, I can't even see him as a Creature anymore. Just a Mountain on the horizon, never to be seen again as not background? What shall I do now? Please… Please come back, or… or at least take me with you…”
Unbeknownst to Eleonora, tears fell down her cheeks. That Mountain range, being seen as a mighty invincible Behemoth by all around him was Drak. Drak, her official target to handle and… her first true friend, who does not care about her status, her Family, her wealth, her beauty, her elegance, her sweet voice but… cares about her. Only her, the Person, which no one else ever has done. Being frank with her, grumbling about what he does not like without holding back and speaking frankly to her what he honestly thought without hiding one thing. That annoyingly honest and hard to understand brat, which treats his Maids as his Family more than his Family's Blood and would fight a Noble for a Commoner for his way of Justice, which felt more honest than the Law itself.
“Will this happen? Why? Is there no other way? I do not want to lose… a true friend.”
While still in shock seeing the clouds hide the rest of the Mountains the Chessboard slowly came back. Under her was again a checkerboard. She felt something was lost, but could not understand what. Out of the darkness a Hand with a Ring of a Signet came.
“This Hand, the ring… This is the official Seal of the Emperor! Is this the Emperor's Hand?”
Still working it out the Hand came closer and she could see scales on it. Slowly she could identify it as two things at once, the Hand of the Emperor and a five headed Hydra.
“No! Do not come closer!”
Even with pleading the Hand grabbed the Cage and moved it to another place. She was moved on the Chessboard into a new position.
“Where am I now?”
A golden knight was seen behind her.
“Am I protected? But why is he so hidden?”
Looking around more she could see different pieces in Black suggesting those were the ones of the opponent. While those pieces were made out of rock their heads start to turn slightly to her.
An old looking kind of humanoid Pig, looking like an Ork but feeling more human even if humanity was not seen in its eyes, just Lust.
A Monkey on a mountain of blood soaked Gold looking at her with greed.
A Wolf eyeing her with hunger to devour her and make her being and all she stands for his own.
“No, I am not protected. I am a sacrifice! Whoever came for me will be killed but I…”
All pieces emanate an Aura of misfortune. If she is lucky she would just die, if not she could only wish to be dead.
“No, I want to help the Empire, but not like this! I am not a plaything for a pig, commodity for a monkey or fame for a wolf! I would rather die than be… but did I not offer Drak once my… My head hurts!”
The whispers in her ears felt strange. She heard those words of loyalty and pride always, but right now they sounded more like mockery and vile intents.
“I need to get out!”
Searching for an exit she looked all over the now obviously cage made out of snakes. Seeing crows trying to find their way inside the cage to help made her hopeful but when the heads of the cage lunged at them they were devoured instantly. A particularly large crow tried its best and nearly succeeded in at least opening a gap before being ripped apart by multiple Snakes and being devoured in pieces. The head landed inside the cage all bloody and looking at her before losing any kind of live in the eyes.
“Why… Why, why why whywhywhywhy!!! Why does this crows head remember me of… UNCLE!!!”
—
“NOOO!”
Waking up soaked in sweat like she were coming out of a freezing river, Eleonora cried out with all her might.
“Princess, everything alright?!”
In came her Head Maid. She was dedicated and always by her side. Not only does she care the most for Eleonora, but also had helped her secretly ever so often. If Eleonora broke a Vase, she took the blame and was caned for it. When Eleonora wanted something specific she tried her best to smuggle it in for her. When Eleonora was upset and shouted at her she was caring and never was angry. She was close to a Mother for her.
“Miranda!”
Falling into her arms Eleonora cried her eyes out. Most of the times when she had a bad dream Miranda the head Maid was there for her, soothing her and keeping her company. While she could not always be there, she tried her utmost to be always present.
“Shh, it was just a bad dream. Nothing to worry about. You are safe and sound. Do you want to talk about the bad dream?”
Eleonora took a long time to come back to reality but was feeling the most safe right now. Miranda might not be a friend or even Family, but she was dedicated to the Gracia Family for a long time.
Slowly catching her breath, Eleonora finally came back to her senses and slowly got a hold on herself. Feeling better she took a look of gratitude towards her trusted Maid and got white again.
‘Why does Miranda have gold… scales and eyes with slits?!’
“Princess, everything okay? You look still pale.”
Pronouncing the last syllable of ‘Princess’ a forked tongue was briefly seen. Eleonora wanted to cry out again but could only hold on.