If Cedar had found out one thing about Lucille in the past week, it was that she was definitely way too easy to manipulate. He hadn't even needed to try it much, but he could see that a person like her was the perfect goal for power-hungry people like his mother.
Lucille was kind, too kind for her own sake. She had even helped a stranger because she pitied him because of vague stories of his past. Even though this could cause a lot of problems for her, she didn't ask the prince to move out. She never even ordered him around and just gently suggested that he shouldn't go to the windows to keep others from seeing him.
Aside from that, she had another trait that would make her an easy target. She was shy and uncertain. She couldn't even meet another person's gaze when they smiled at her.
Cedar felt like she was slowly getting used to him, but even now, she still seemed to be extremely careful around him. At first, he had believed that this was connected to his background, but it seemed like that wasn't the case.
Lucille always walked quietly and closed the doors with such care that it was easy to guess why she had developed this meek personality. Cedar remembered trying to fade into the background when his mother had been mad too, so he could assume that this was connected to Lucille's father.
It seemed like Viscount Valerian was truly as cold as he seemed in public. That man wasn't just power-hungry when it came to others, he also appeared to control his daughter completely. It was obvious that a person like Raymond Valerian wouldn't hesitate to reveal that he had found the second prince if someone told him about Cedar's presence, just to gain the emperor's goodwill. Apparently, many people were stupid enough to think that it was that easy, but that wasn't the point. The important part was that the viscount definitely made sure that all of his subordinates were obedient. If even a single person except for Lucille found the prince, they would tell Raymond, and it would be over in an instant.
That meant that Cedar had to be extremely careful with how he was moving through the small estate, even though he assumed that few servants would recognize him. His wound had had ten days to heal, which wasn't much, and it still hurt. But he was able to look around quietly. As soon as Lucille had left after lunch to visit some etiquette lessons, he had sneaked out and gave himself an hour to find out as much as possible. Since there weren't too many servants in the garden, it was easy to get an overview of the estate, but there was another problem.
Cedar needed information about the outside more than anything else. But eavesdropping was hard when there was only one small group of servants that had gathered on the little terrace. Some of the maids hung up towels to let them dry, and the rest just sat at the table and gossiped. They didn't seem very helpful, but Cedar had no other choice.
The prince was lucky enough to find a tree next to them and sat down there while leaning his back against the bark. Now he would only need to listen until something interesting came up.
The first part of the conversation was rather annoying since it was connected to the question of who the most beautiful or handsome person in the house was. Apparently, one of the maids was extremely favored, and she acted shy to fish for compliments for at least half an hour.
Then a man returned from his work, and finally, a more interesting story began. As soon as he arrived, he began talking with a bright grin. “None of you will believe what I just heard. There is something incredible going on in the capital. A huge investigation is being held there. They tried to hide it, but they couldn't keep it a secret for long with how many royal guards suddenly appeared there.”
Cedar folded a bit of grass between his fingers while waiting for them to move on. He needed information about Leonard's investigation and not about the whole rest. He wasn't sure whether those servants would give him a good response, but he could hope for it.
A younger girl chimed in as soon as the man had finished. “We know! We just heard it from the coachman. The traitorous prince broke out of confinement, didn't he? That's so scary. What if he is running around here somewhere? He could just jump out anywhere and attack one of us.”
The older woman snorted at that. “Is that one of your secret fantasies? Keep that to yourself. I'm pretty sure that we don't have to worry when only the royal family is his goal. But I'm curious. He was put in confinement twice already. How did he get out again? Some guards really messed up. How can they just let the biggest threat to the emperor flee?”
The first man spoke again. “Finally! I can provide information here. One of the knights was wounded severely. They say that the prince lured the knight into a corner of the building with some strange trick. He pretended to show the guard that there was something wrong with the wall and immediately knocked him out while the man's back was turned. The poor knight didn't do anything, and yet, he was injured this cold-heartedly. He might even suffer from long-term damages.”
Cedar didn't even bother to correct all the mistakes in this story. He didn't need to hear this wrong version, and he also didn't care about the worried servants talking about how dangerous he was. So, he closed his eyes and waited until they moved on.
Luckily, the male servant was happy to talk even more about this matter. “That even wasn't everything! Apparently, another of the royal guards was gravely injured too. That poor man was close to death. His neck was barely intact, and he almost choked on his own blood. The prince must have stabbed him with the intention of killing but, fortunately, failed.” That wasn't true at all.
Cedar had attacked the shoulder and not the neck. He wasn't that cowardly. If he knew that he could win a fight, he wouldn't aim for any lethal parts. He also hadn't wanted to attack anyone and had only defended himself. But no matter what happened, he wouldn't be able to convince anyone of his innocence here even if they listened to all the facts. After all, the prince was the vile and murderous brother that had dared to attack the emperor.
This was the gratitude he got for leaving a trail to make sure that the knight would be found and treated. But at least that man was alive.
Cedar listened to a few more complaints about him before the important part finally came. His eyes flew open, and he focused on memorizing as much as possible.
“So, Lord Astame is definitely in the city? I heard that he never leaves the palace, so he must have come personally to deal with the prince.” The younger woman's question was quickly answered.
The male servant gladly gossiped more. “Yes. And do you know what the worst part is? He is currently sending people to patrol the area around here. Apparently, the prince disappeared close to the northern market. Some say that he even walked across the very street next to our estate. And then suddenly...” He made a dramatic pause. “He vanished into thin air. No one knows where he is. Which means that he could truly be here with the intention of harming us. Maybe he broke into the estate and is lying in wait to pounce on us.” The tone of his voice made it obvious that he was joking, but he couldn't know the truth.
Cedar almost considered standing up and greeting them, just to see their reaction. But that would immediately cause his location to become known, and then he would have a massive problem. It was bad enough that Leonard was still in the area, and even the slightest rumor about the prince being sighted somewhere would call that damned man here. Cedar should have expected that people believed him to be the Valerian estate, but it was still frustrating to know that Leon was sitting right outside these walls while waiting for him.
This worsened his mood even more along with the fact that his side hurt and that these servants didn't tell him anything else important. So, he forced himself to stand up and sneaked away.
Cedar took the back entrance and entered the annex again. For a moment, he stared at the staircase before sighing. Going up would be as painful as going down had been, or it might be even worse. In any case, he had to drag himself up before he could return to the bedroom, so whining didn't help. It took him a short while before he managed to do that, but he was even more relieved when he was back. No one had spotted him, and he could lie down now without any issues. At least he had thought that before he saw the shadow on the balcony.
A huff escaped Cedar as he walked forward. He glanced outside to make sure that no one was anywhere near the outer part of the estate and then opened the door. He stepped out and turned to the secret visitor. “Already? You surely are quick.” He scanned the man who was sitting on the tree next to the building and gave him a smirk. “Didn't fall down on your way this time?”
The person that was hiding here and was covered in dark clothes was Reeve. He had been Cedar's guard ever since the last one had been killed by the emperor. Admittedly, he wasn't really good at his job. He usually didn't stay with the prince long and only served as some sort of messenger. Carrying letters around was his main task, but even that didn't always work out without any issues. Luckily, his ankle wasn't sprained anymore.
Reeve snorted at the comment and sat down in a more comfortable way while making sure that he wouldn't slip. “You know... You can stop reminding me of that. That day, it had rained, and it was slippery. Then you found it funny to scare me, and I fell down from the lowest branch. That was the one and only time that I made a mistake. Since it was your fault, it doesn't count though. Besides...” A mocking grin came onto his lips. “It looks like your accident was worse. Her Majesty won't be too happy. She will probably massacre you if she finds out that you lost to a mere guard.”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Cedar crossed his arms and leaned against the wall behind him. “I didn't lose. He is off worse than I am. I'm still standing upright after all. And if Mother wants to complain, she can try to fight a man who is about twice as heavy as her for a change. I feel like I'm doing quite well for having defeated a dozen royal guards during my three days of freedom. I avoided Leonard Astame, you know? The man who used to be the best assassin around. He almost broke Mother's leg once, so she should remember him. If she asks, tell her that I am going against that person right now. She will probably wish me the best then.”
Reeve leaned back and let one of his legs hang down. “I don't know. She'll probably complain about you not killing him yet. But anyway. I have something for you.” He reached into his dark coat and pulled out a small envelope. He waved it around for a moment before holding it toward the other man. As soon as the prince reached for it, he pulled it away again.
Cedar just smiled at him in response. “I would love to play that game with you, but I even have trouble going up a staircase right now. You will have to be a bit nicer at this point in time. If I lean over, my organs might spill out.”
The other man sucked in air between his teeth. “I see. Then I guess that we will have to do our best to let you recover quickly. You can't lose your will to live, so I will have to tease you a bit before you get anything.” He lifted the envelope higher and waved it around again. “Will you give me something in return for this? How about some information?”
The prince raised an eyebrow at him. “You do know that asking for a reward for doing your job is kind of dirty, right? What do you get paid for? You helpful guard. You weren't there when I was being slit open with a sword. And by the way, don't drop that letter.”
Reeve immediately stopped waving at that. “I won't drop it.” He said that with confidence but held the envelope tighter afterward. “I promise that I won't ask for anything secretive. Let me have my fun. Answer my question, and I'll give you this. Who is this girl that kept you safe? You said her name, but I forgot already. Or do you not want to tell me for a specific reason?” His smug grin made it obvious that he just wanted to provoke the other man. Unfortunately, he had never won any of their verbal battles.
Cedar didn't care about giving away information that was easily obtainable. “You are even more stupid than I thought you would be. If this is the Valerians' estate, there can only be one response. Lucille Valerian, viscount's daughter. Red hair, pale skin, a bit smaller than me. You will recognize her when you see her. Or rather, you would in theory. But since you will just scare her off, you need to disappear until she comes back.”
Reeve pouted at that. “Why? I'm not that scary. I don't have any creepy scars, and I don't smile like a psychopath either. Are you telling me that I'm ugly or something like that? How mean. I wanted to meet her. She took care of you for the past few days, didn't she? She must surely be special if our nation's prince is willing to eat with her.” As ridiculous as it sounded for a mercenary who would kill for money without a second thought, Reeve was a romantic person. If he heard that the prince and Lucille called each other by their first names, he would probably begin making jokes constantly.
Cedar normally liked to go along with all kinds of hoaxes, but right now, it was unfitting. He needed to read the letter and send a reply before Lucille came back, so he was under pressure. He extended his hand toward the other man, and his smile widened. “If you make fun of me now, we can make sure that your mistake gets repeated. This time, you might fall from a higher branch. Would you be kind enough to give me my letter now?”
Reeve put a hand on his forehead and pretended to faint. “How scary. I never know whether you are joking or not. Since I don't want to break my legs, I will give it to you now.” He made an exaggerated gesture before handing the letter to the prince.
Cedar took it without any hesitation and tore it open. He unfolded the letter and skimmed over it. As always, his mother wasn't very careful with her choice of words. She was direct and immediately got to the point. He was lucky enough to receive a small greeting at the beginning, and the rest just consisted of pure orders and, fortunately, some facts about Leonard's investigation.
Reeve didn't even give him five seconds before trying to lean over. “What does it say? Did she ask about your wound?”
“What were you expecting? As long as my heart is beating, she won't question a single thing. But this is exactly what I need. She wrote about how everyone back at the mansion was interrogated. Apparently, my brother isn't happy at all, so he sent his favorite dog after me. The assassin, who happens to reside in an inn a few streets away at this point in time. So, he really is waiting for me to make my move, isn't he? He knows that I'm hiding, so he wants to force me to come out. By the way, be careful not to fall off that tree.”
The other man sat down on the branch again and leaned against the tree. “That does sound annoying. What is the plan from now on? You can't do what that bastard wants. But you also can't stay here forever. Unless you plan on marrying the young lady here.”
Cedar read the letter again and replied without looking up, using a dry tone that was supposed to make his guard stay quiet. “I already proposed to her. We'll invite you to the wedding. It will be next spring.” He ignored how Reeve choked upon hearing that and skimmed the rest of the text.
As expected, there was no trace of worry from Camille's side. Only anger directed at Theodore, who wasn't really connected to this issue. She hadn't even asked how her second son was doing. At least she had given enough information to make sure that everything would go smoothly though.
The prince lowered the letter and made eye contact with his perplexed guard. “Before you ask, yes, that was a joke. The wedding is in summer.” He snorted at the other man's uncertainty and decided to leave him hanging. “Anyway, I will live here for now. I need to recover a little after all. When my wound is closed, I will resume. I need to be able to travel without much pain, so I'd rather take a bit longer to make sure that everything is ready. Right now, I think that we should plan for my return in a month. Until then, I wish to stay here with my fiancée.”
Reeve furrowed his brows and changed his position on the branch yet again. “First of all, I still don't know whether you truly managed to get a fiancée in two weeks or whether you are just making fun of me. And secondly, Her Majesty will be upset that it takes so long. Without you, she is a bit...let's say explosive. She doesn't admit it, but she is dependent on you.”
Cedar folded the letter and put it into his jacket. “I know. But to make sure that everything works out, we will have to wait. She has to stay composed and understand that everything has to be realistic, you know? My wounds need to regenerate, and since I have no doctor here, it will take a while. Of course, I'm aware that many things can change in a month, but we'll see. Maybe we can go a bit earlier but not too much.” He paused and let out a small sigh at the other's expression. Usually, he didn't clear up any misunderstandings, but if he didn't do it now, the manor would be full of rumors when he came back. “Just for your information. No, I did not make Lady Valerian my fiancée. You truly are too focused on your novels. Normally, you understand my sarcasm well.”
Reeve lifted his hands in a rejecting gesture. “Everything can happen when it comes to love. Don't be angry, but I need to give you examples here. Your father. Saw that countess at a ball and made her his concubine. Your brother. Found a crying woman in his garden, and now she's the empress. I'm just saying. Love seems to come to your family like a charm.”
Cedar didn't find that comparison funny at all. By now, everyone should have understood that there was a difference between him and his family. Theodore had stood on the sunny side of life ever since his birth. That the younger brother didn't get as much light because of that should be obvious. But Cedar wouldn't complain about it. Some plants grew better at night, even if they turned out to be closer to weeds than flowers. He found the thought of him falling in love ridiculous. “I'm a calculative person, Reeve. I don't think love will work for me. I am quite different from Theodore and also have a much more important goal to focus on. You should know that by now.” His past had definitely formed him in an unpleasant way. And no stupid metaphors helped him here. No matter what many people said, he couldn't change his life completely. He was trying his best, but it didn't look too good.
Reeve shrugged at that. “Wasn't your father basically married to his work before he met that woman? It was the same with your brother, wasn't it? I know that you have a problem imagining that you can become happy as well, but maybe you should just relax and wait for what is to come. You're a human being, and love is completely normal, so-” He cut himself off when the prince's smile widened yet again. “Alright, I get it. You don't like talking about that stuff. Then I'll stop. Will you write a response now?”
The prince nodded. “Wait a moment.”
Cedar returned to the room and wrote a short letter to his mother. He explained that he was fine even if she probably suspected that much. Then he made sure to phrase the most important part as nicely as possible. The dowager empress wouldn't be happy to hear that her son planned on staying away for another month, but there was no way around it. Cedar wanted to recover completely instead of risking that anything opened up again. If he was unlucky, and he always seemed to be unlucky, then he might end up being in a lot more pain when he returned anyway. So, he would like one wound to heal before he risked getting the next one. He ended the letter by writing that he wished his mother well and looked forward to returning before signing.
When Cedar was sure that the ink had dried up, he folded the letter and brought it to Reeve. “You know what to do. Give this to Mother, and tell her everything she needs to know if she asks.”
The guard let the paper disappear in his jacket and gave the other man a questioning gaze. “I know that this means that she doesn't have to hear everything. Did you mention the young lady?”
“You know how my mother is. That girl saved me, so I won't push her off a cliff. For now, Mother doesn't need details. Everything she needs is written in the letter. You are free to calm her down a bit though. She may not like me being away for too long, and you can step in to console her.” Cedar grinned at the other man, only to receive a shudder.
Reeve shook his head and hurriedly jumped to his feet. “No, thank you. I know how bad she gets when she loses control. If you're not there, I won't enter the house more than I have to. I hope that she doesn't kill any servant by throwing something at them. Thanks to your request, she doesn't have vases, but you can't imagine how creative that woman is.”
The prince leaned against the wall again and met the other's gaze. “I can imagine well. I experienced it firsthand. Don't complain. The palace was much worse. But as much as I would like to talk to you for longer, you have to leave now. I don't know when Lucille will come back. Hurry up, and deliver the letter.”
Reeve froze at that. “Lucille? You are calling her-” He was cut off by Cedar waving his hand. He narrowed his eyes at that. “I will make sure to keep an eye on the two of you. I swear that love at first glance seems to be a curse in your family. But since I know that you will get upset if I say it, I won't wish you a good time with her now. Instead, I will say the important thing. From what I know about you, I would say that you will begin to train in a week again. Don't overdo it. We don't need to drag your corpse back in two weeks.”
Cedar lifted his gaze and stared at the tree for a moment before gazing down at the garden. It was still empty right now, but he could swear that he had seen a trace of red wandering toward the annex. Lucille's etiquette lessons seemed to be finished. “I will be careful. I won't die so easily though. You know how stubborn I am. That runs in the family, so I can guarantee you that something like this won't kill me. We'll see each other around.”
Some rustling followed after that. The prince waited for a moment before looking up again.
Reeve was gone.
That meant that Cedar could go back and meet Lucille now, returning to acting as innocent as possible without giving away his intentions. Maybe he could get her to talk about why a woman her age suddenly needed a new etiquette teacher. Maybe he would just chat about something completely different again too. He didn't know, and he found himself not minding either option. As long as his plan progressed splendidly, he might as well take some time to win the trust of the person who kept him safe after all.