It had been a perfect ambush. Well, perhaps perfect was the wrong word. It had fooled Daniel's senses and perception as a Lowling Fae Servant, but that was only to be expected. How could a Lowling have been able to see through the working of a much higher power?

But was it an ambush if he had walked into it on purpose?

Daniel looked beyond the blade's tip to Lord Fredar. The Lord appearance was triumphant and smug, and with his new found confidence, he suddenly didn't seem so skinny, though his shinny gaudy armor still looked too large and hung loosely on his frame. There were a few others who had been in wait for Daniel, mostly Lordlings Daniel recognized from Fredar's circle. The others that emerged looked to be some form of retainers.

"Why didn't you bring your Enforcer squadron, Mi'lord?" Daniel asked.

"Yield!" Said Fredar. He had somehow modified his power, limiting it. It was probably easy, because he had just barely enough power to be a Lord to begin with. Now, it set a bad precedent to do that with one's power, and could even potentially damage one's future growth.

"Can I even get away?" Daniel chided. "If I were to yield now, the conversation would end too quickly. You went to a lot of effort to make sure there were people here to humiliate this Lowly Servant Branch."

Lord Fredar glared. He pulled his sword back slightly, but still ready to cut Daniel.

Daniel glanced backward and saw that Esra and Marrin were unaccosted, but from the number of Lordlings holding swords, they were clearly marked as potential enemies to the ambushing party. Marrin looked physically sick, as Daniel's prediction was proved true. The large giant Fae was afraid, but at least he kept a cool head and hadn't grabbed the Sword. it was clear that they knew they were in danger.

"Thank you, Mi'Lord. For your kind deed of sending your enforcers. Did you hear about the Golem in the O'Tells estate? How did such a creature even find its way into such an established house!"

Lord Fredar looked proud. "I have at last gathered you for my revenge! I didn't even do it for the stupid Game. Now! Fear me!"

Marrin looked like he took that command seriously, uselessly clutching his hat. Esra was playing solitaire on the ground, completely ignoring them. It would have looked better if Daniel's side appeared as eager, bold, yet still worried and uncertain. That Daniel had forewarned this possibility meant that Esra thought he had it under control and was just waiting for the next adventure, and Marrin was probably terrified. It lacked the dramatic appeal Daniel had been going for, and for that he was a little disappointed.

But he needn't have bothered.

The Game wasn't watching them.

Daniel took in more information as he counted the people attending this. No one impressive.

Daniel didn't even feel the band tightening on his limb. That meant that Lord Fredar was acting totally outside of his Authority over the Servant/Page/Squire Branch. Which only made sense. If one was going to ambush someone, it was much more polite to ambush a stranger than someone beholden to you. If that had happened while Daniel was on the clock as serving the Sky Court, then the injustice would have been immense. It was almost worth it for Daniel to try to slip into that role.

"How about this trade, Mi'Lord." Said Daniel. "You do a favor for me, and I don't tell the Sky Court about you accosting a servant on his way home with his friend?"

"Bold! You think too highly...Is that my enforcer with you?"

"Oh, yeah. Very helpful guy."

Lord Fredar shifted, and the sword pointed at Daniel shifted in response, just a little too close for Daniel's comfort. "As your Squadron Commander, get over here to me..."

"Esra?" Daniel said, before the terrified Marrin could so much take a step forward.

Esra rolled his eyes and then slapped Marrin. The increased gravity sent the already exhausted Middling to the ground as Gravity increased. Esra made an excited face, as he pulled an Ace from the deck and put it away into the upper right corner.

"What is the meaning of this!" Said one of Fredar's flunkies.

"Oh, I'm saving him for later. Just wait, I'm not done telling the story! Where was I? That's right...I was, as a Hall Attendant of the O'Tells, rightfully minding my own business in the garden, when I found myself compelled...." he had been compelled by Shelby and his own awakening morality, but he didn't need to add that. "To join them, inside. Something about a Golem? I can hardly remember. That was an hour ago, around 9:45? Maybe?"

Fredar clenched his teeth, realizing that he had been mere feet from Daniel and walked away.

"Anyway, there this poor servant was, when for some reason, this lowly one was betrayed. By some fae lady calling herself Vye, and honestly it was like she wanted the Golem and whatever else trouble there was there, to succeed and destroy the O'Tells estate. She personally broke the windows in the Servant Hall. You know those big, stain glass windows. The famous ones?"

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

"Enough talk!" And Fredar moved to draw the blade closer to Daniel's throat.

Which was pushed away, by the Law of Fae.

If this was the Second of Three assassination attempts, the Law of Fae would not have intervened. It could not have.

But the Law of Fae was there now, swirling.

"Do you see the Game?" Daniel said, pulling on his words to ring out as powerfully as he could. He drew closer to Lord Fredar, feeling the fae light enter his eyes.

Lord Fredar paused, then looked around, trying to find it. So did all of his companions.

"You do not. Because your turn was already spent. Thank you. Vye was very helpful. She and Frank and even this Marrin here...all very useful. Because the clock struck 10, Lord Fredar. While Vye and company were attacking yours truly. Interesting girl, that Vye. Almost like she improved in skill a lot over the span of a single day. And somehow...Vye lost. The Game called the Second Assassination attempt for the Servant Branch at something like 10:05. But you wouldn't know that, because you were already laying in wait for someone innocent walking by."

Lord Fredar glared at Marrin, puddled on the ground.

Esra got a heart 7 card, and moved it to an awaiting 8, forming a growing column starting from a king, queen, jack, 10, 9.

Those standing around Lord Fredar, in the dark ally that the Lordling Elswith was well known for favoring, looked increasingly uncomfortable.

Daniel dropped his voice down, to a whisper. "Should I say to all your wonderful, influential friends over there...what exactly happened? I am sure you told them something about how I wronged you. How I broke faith? How you would get your revenge. Stop coming after me, Lord Fredar. Your increasingly ridiculous defeats are becoming embarrassing. First I beat you as Lordlings. Then I beat you when you were a Lord. Now, I am a lowly servant, and look. I. Still. Beat. You."

Lord Fredar returned to his full power and tried to slice Daniel again, but the Law of Fae was present and pushed down the attack.

"I walk away. This never happened. I don't tell anyone about this for six months. I let those in the Sky Court think you knew what Vye was doing. It was a clever ploy. It didn't work, but at least it wasn't as blatantly obvious as laying in wait for a servant on his favorite way home. You will get some praise for that."

"What do you want?"

"I could ask for power, but the game would refuse it. My hands are tied. So I will offer a compromise."

Fredar's eyes gleamed with hate.

Daniel teased different paths forward. "I desire Marrin to suffer." The words rang out long and true from the Law of Fae. "Both Frank and 'Vye' are alive, so you will have no grievances with me. But I couldn't reach them, so Marrin I took."

Marrin, watching, went pale. Esra had eased up on the gravity pushing him downward.

Esra himself found another heart card and added it to his growing column, ignoring everyone.

Just as well.

Daniel continued. "Marrin is clumsy, unsophisticated. Kind. Much too kind. I would rather see you, Lord Fredar, every day than Marrin." It was true. But not for those reasons that he stated. "At least you have manners, decorum."

Fredar was examining Daniel. He knew, of course, that Daniel was tricking him.

That was perfectly okay with Daniel.

"Give me Marrin." Daniel said.

"He's a subcommander. Mummy won't get me another one to replace him."

Daniel made a face. "Since when did Lord Fredar await for his mummy to arrange things for him? Look. This is a bad idea. I'll just let everyone know you tried to kill me but couldn't because Vye attacked me before you could, and that you probably didn't even realize who Vye was..."

Daniel started walking away.

Fredar grabbed him arm. There was a multitude of reasons. The first was the embarrassment. But the second was that perhaps Vye wasn't supposed to discovered or swapped. If the attack from Vye had been the main plan, then at least it had some boldness for those Watching the Game. But to reveal that Kane had deceived Lord Fredar and then still failed?

"I will punish him myself." Said Lord Fredar.

"Not good enough. You would be pleased with his actions. I will have my revenge. Like you will no doubt have yours against me tomorrow when I am again your page tomorrow. I cannot leave him in your authority."

"Ash Court." said Lord Fredar.

Daniel paused. Not ideal. He wanted Marrin completely expelled from the enforcers. Honestly, if he could send Marrin into the Library, that would be the best for him. The librarians were very quiet about all political things.

Fredar made a pained expression, and Daniel guessed that transferring Marrin was the best he could do. "That's were we send those who displease us. The Ash Court is completely broke, and nearly bankrupt. It won't be a good environment. Even you would find it hot and arid, the air itself scalding."

"That is not exactly a punishment."

"They are practically a fallen Court. Their conditions are terrible. They have no Lords there, and their leader is merely an old Lordling. Impossible for promotion. Their Citadel residence buffets next to a volcano. They rarely campaign because they can't afford the travel fees, so they never gather new influence."

"And how is that different from releasing Marrin to me directly for punishment?"

"Sky Court may owe the Ash Court a favor. He can spend the rest of his career as an enforcer there. This is the best way for me to save face."

Marrin...going to a ruined court?

It was better than staying at the Sky Court. Honestly, it may be rough for Marrin. But...away from the Sky Court was the aim. If they never campaigned, then Marrin probably wouldn't accidentally reveal that he was a newly minted Heirling.

It would also keep Marrin out of play long enough for this Game to play itself out. Either Daniel would win, earn his freedom, save the children, the towns on the outskirts, and Witness...

Or he would lose and not have the time to bother worrying about other people anymore.

"But Frank and Vye are completely free of this." Injected Lord Fredar, as those watching from the outside started to agitate and poke around.

Darn. Fredar had covered that avenue. Daniel had been hoping to punish those two later...

But Daniel capitulated. "Fine. What happened with Frank and Vye is finished, and there will be no....residual feelings. But transfer Marrin right now, and I will accompany him there myself. If it is not as you said, then I maintain it be thrice as bad for you."

A common occurrence of insurance.

It may be a miserable place. But Daniel wanted to make sure it was actually as...inactive as prescribed.

If Marrin was revealed as a new Heirling while a Game was active?

Games were typically release valves, when something came. It prevented the Courts from going to war. It allowed the Fae to play out the situation. But Capital G games didn't happen very often. And Daniel was not sure if two could even be at play at once. So, with no safety value...should Marrin be revealed...

The pressure would build up and up and up. And have no choice but to explode like a volcano.

"Deal." Said Daniel.