He wore white on that night. White was his master’s favourite. Purity, he said when the servant asked, purity. He could not object. All he ever did was follow that man’s instructions. And on that night, he was doing just that.
“Presenting, the viscount of Sidmon, lord Benjamin Wynt!”
That was his cue. He sprung into action, blending into the crowd. Such was his modus operandi. To hide, to only strike when it was most opportune. And his quarry was hard to miss.
He wasn’t entirely sure how he even got in. Supposedly, this was a highly guarded event. Yet, the guards didn’t even look at him as he slipped in. Did his master cast a spell? If so, then the quarry was of utmost importance. From a distance, he watched as his prey moved.
Something stood in his way. While it was likely that his master’s intel was outdated, he didn’t expect it to be off by this much. Was the girl accompanying him a bodyguard? She was dangerous, then.
He squeezed past the crowd of people. Three could only look on in jealousy. If he was honest, he wanted the spell to wear off. For him to be caught by the empire. Surely they would treat him better. But all he could do was follow his instructions.
The quarry stood out amidst the crowd. With grey hair, despite having such a young body, he was hard to miss. And with all the important guests assembled, the time to strike was now. Before the emperor made his speech, and before the dancing started. And besides, more guests streamed in as time went on.
Grabbing a needle from his pocket, he held it with careful fingers. If he dropped it, there was absolutely no way he could pick it up within the swamp. Like searching for a needle amongst the clouds, and lightning threatening to strike him down at any time. It was just too risky.
Three walked downstairs, and the rich nobles ignored, as they always have. In those white robes, he didn’t look particularly out of place. He could blend in with the servants, but not the nobles. They were far too grand for him.
They swarmed around his quarry. Shit. That made it much, much harder. He gripped the needle, and pointed it down. The only blood that could and should ever get on it was the target’s. Nothing else. The entire needle just barely poked out from his fist.
Quick and simple. That’s the way that it should have been. Yet, there was absolutely no way that the mission was going to end up that way. The target was just too surrounded by people. Was he a famed hero or something? Three had no access to the news, so his quarry must have been of great importance.
Perhaps now wasn’t the time then. With no opportunity to get close, Three pulled back. The next chance might have been after the emperor’s speech, according to his master’s intel. If not then, the target’s exit would’ve been the final chance. There was no time for delay.
“Everyone here is gathered today, for the announcement of the next generation. The next emperor, so to speak. These great men are the Arcleuses. Of course, I wasn’t one, haha. I had the privilege of not competing. Instead, my lovely wife, the empress, was the winner of the Regina competition. But, today is not about me, nor our shared pasts. No, today, and for the future of our great empire, will be for them. The three Arcleuses, who will seek my daughter’s hand in marriage. The viscount of Montaoi, lord Edmond Ren. He is the holy knight following in Arthur’s footsteps. He cleared the beast lands of those savage monsters, and let us regain our lost territory. And, the viscount of Sidmon, lord Benjamin Wynt. The famed strategist that planned the attacks of the wastelands. Without him, the expedition would have ended up taking much, much longer. No one knows how many lives he has saved in combating the beasts.”
Applause rose up after each introduction. On paper, when the audience members were the loudest, that was when he had the most leeway. And indeed, that was what he wanted to do. Three swallowed his dry, dry saliva. His mouth, tongue, and throat were even drier than a desert. How long had it been since he last had a sip of water? Maybe, once he succeeded, he would attain that luxury.
“And, last but not least. The earl of Anahit, the son of my close friend, Francis Rayleigh. He is not a normal person, not someone you can find anywhere. A mixed blood. With that, let the dancing begin.”
The emperor raised his wine glass. His gesture was met with great applause, and the band started playing. It was a harmonic tune, with slow beats then synced up with footsteps. It was perfect for dancing. The rhythmic highs and lows and constant tempo made it easy for anyone to move their bodies to. The vibrant strings, the soft support of the percussion, oh it made for such a good performance. But he lacked the time and luxury to enjoy it.
His master wasn’t anywhere near him. If anything, he was halfway across the country. His master was always like that. Three do this, Three do that.
“Oh my. Are you alone for the night?” someone asked.
They tapped on his shoulder. Instantly, he spun around. Getting touched was not good. His hair stood on end, and he was prepared.
“Um, hello?” she asked.
What greeted him was a young lady, younger than he was. Light red hair, and of a short and petite stature. She placed her hand on his shoulder.
“Uh, uh- Yes! Hello!”
“You’re not a noble, right?”
“N-no.”
“Brilliant! Would you want to have a dance with me?” she asked Three.
“H-huh?”
“Just dance with me, alright. Besides, he didn’t even try to hide his traces, did he?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“So who are you here to inspect? The mixed blood?” she asked.
“Wh-what? No, no!”
“Just tell your master this. The mixed blood? That Rayleigh? He’s my mistress’ specimen. Tell him. To. Keep. His. Damn hands. Off.”
The girl flashed a cruel smile. Three tried his best to avoid her eyes, and gripped that needle. There was only one person that the girl could be talking about. And that woman, his master’s greatest enemy, he wouldn’t have wanted to meet her.
***
So many pairs of eyes fell upon him. Judging, making quick decisions. Just like that. The applause died down then, and the music replaced it.
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“You alright?” he asked Katalina.
He just wanted someone to talk to. It didn’t matter who it was, just as long as he could shift his attention from the audience to something else. And if that distraction ended up being Katalina, then so be it. Anyone would’ve done. Ms Anne, even Benjamin, or even Edmond too. It just so happened to be Katalina that was closest to his side.
“Yes. And you, my lord?” she countered his question with a question of her own.
Francis was feeling okay. Not too happy about the sudden attention, but didn’t actively despise it either. Moreso, it was more of a kind of nervousness. It was his first time attending an event of this scale afterall, even when counting his previous life. What’s more, he was at the centre of it, or more accurately, one of the four that shared the spotlight. The others of course, were the two other emperor candidates, and the crown princess herself.
The requests started flooding in then. A queue formed in front of him. And he found it hard to reject all of them. Men, women, of all ages, several decades older than him, and years younger. If they were there, and wanted power, they would be in the queue. All of them, upon reaching the starting point, would bow down gracefully. Pulling up the edges of their skirts of the noblewomen, and taking a knee for the noblemen. But all of them were met with the same fate. No matter who they were. Young, old, filthy rich, dirt poor, had the looks of a supermodel or was repulsive enough to make even a goblin think twice. When was she going to make a move? And once that thought crossed his mind, she stood up.
Lifting her body from the velvet throne, and adjusting her tiara that sat atop her head, she stepped down onto the golden stairs. Her feet were wrapped in fragile looking crystal-like slippers. Truly, she looked splendid. A form fitting blue dress that glittered like the stars of a particularly clear sky. A face, unblemished, and expertly hidden makeup. There probably wasn’t any contest to be won, but she would have won it regardless. Her entire form sparkled. How much time had gone into her preparation? Nonetheless, he could only stand there and admire her.
Soon, she made it clear who her target was. Striding over to his position, the sea of people split in half. What power she commanded. Much like a bullet, she tore through the crowds before her, and left a large trail of emptiness behind. It really did resemble a shot piercing through a target. Even the queue dispersed as she walked closer.
“Oh, lord Francis.”
She pulled the tips of her blue dress with similarly coloured gloves. It was rather obvious what she was going to ask. But still, it was a first. In the small, small tip of the historical iceberg that he read about, never had this happened. Never had a royal, the crown child especially, asked someone for a dance. In fact, it was always the other way round.
“Would you care for a dance?”
Haein smiled as she spoke. She made sure her words were enunciated, as they echoed throughout the silent room. If he didn’t have the attention of literally everyone that attended, he had their eyes glued on him now.
“Of course, your highness,” he said as he put his hand out.
Once she grabbed it, he regretted not wearing a pair of gloves of his own. The smooth fabric rubbed against his skin, and tickled him somewhat. The music continued, it's interlude within the melody gone. And he repeated what he saw. Although, there was a slight issue. When moving in time with the music, they did the same steps. The same set of feet, and the same move.
“Why are you dancing the men’s section?” she whispered into his ear.
“Because I’m a man? And I was taught this,” he replied.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. Let’s leave for the balcony. Or do you want to remain here?”
“Why? Do you want to leave?”
“Can you dance? At all? And I want some privacy, shall we say.”
“Huh? I mean, can we just do that?”
“You’re an Arcleus, and I’m the crown princess. What can’t we do?”
“But what about the proper etiquette and order to things?”
“Does it matter?”
“Heh. Only a princess would say that.”
“I am a princess. Now, let’s go.”
“Not now.”
“No objections, I’m afraid.”
She let go of his hands. Wherever they went, the crowd cleared out an area for them. A small circle, about two metres out from their centre formed. Everyone looked at them as they stopped.
“Your highness?” Francis asked.
Ignoring his words, she walked closer. Too close for comfort, really. He could smell the scent of her at that distance. But he wasn’t thinking about that right now. What took up the majority of his thinking capacity was the situation that he was in. Within that short span of time, she had picked him up. Scooping him from the floor, she literally swept him off his feet, and carried him. She rested his head against her arm, and his legs dangled off her other.
“Why are you so light?” asked Haein, ignoring his objections.
“Urggg... I dunno. Probably because I’m a mixed blood?”
He wrapped his arms around her neck. All around him, the tide of people cleared, and they let them leave without question. Pushing the door to the balcony open, a swift breeze of summer air slapped his face. The door closed as she kicked it back.
Despite moving to a separate location, it didn’t provide much in the way of privacy. Why? Simply due to the fact that the wall and door that separated balcony from ballroom, were mostly glass. Sectioned off into neat little squares, the ballroom looked like a greenhouse from the outside. But regardless, visual privacy be damned, they at least had some privacy. Those inside couldn’t exactly hear them, and even less so as the pair moved away. Even then, he couldn’t help but appreciate the glass’ presence. At least there would be witnesses if she tried anything out of the ordinary. Though, within the receding and extending crowd, he spotted Katalina. A cold, straight stare from her face.
Haein dropped him down on his feet. She gripped his hand, and stroked his arm. Like a public show of affection. The only thing needed to seal the deal, and to more or less proclaim to the public that he was her chosen was to go even further. After all, skeptics and enemies that sought to undermine their relationship could justify that as just being close friends. But still, it didn’t sit right with his stomach to be doing this.
“Would you mind if I kissed you in front of everyone?” the crown princess asked.
“Haein, please. This isn’t proper. Let’s head back inside. Alright?”
“You don’t feel comfortable? Or am I not the person you’d want? Just be honest, because I’m not being honest with you.”
“You... Hm. Well, should we start by telling the truth?”
“That’s entirely up to you. But, I don’t love you. Never did.”
“Neither do I. But we do have a common goal.”
“Yes. And I’d much rather become empress with you as my husband than anyone else. And you need me to become the emperor. So what say we keep this up? Do you have any other firsts that you’d like to keep?”
“My purity for one. And you’ve already taken my first kiss so the next obvious step would be...”
Francis didn’t want to say it. Not because the person standing in front of him matched his tastes somewhat. And not because she was a woman, too. But maybe, if he withheld that bit of information, she wouldn’t get any ideas.
“You know, Fran, when I was growing up, I couldn’t interact with anyone my age. No schoolmates, no classmates. Just the occasional noble born children that visited. You know how I passed the time?”
“How?”
“There is a cache of certain books. Forbidden ones, but not like those grimoires of dark mages. Forbidden to children, and quite hard to get a hold of. And those books, they taught me things Fran. Things that I want to do to you.”
“Right. But I am not the one you should do it with.”
“No, you misunderstand. I want you. It's not love, really. It’s more of a primal feeling, maybe? But, I want to do you, like what I read in those books.”
“I suppose when the time comes, and if you ever really want to. But not now.”
“Polygamy is perfectly legal, you know. You can marry me, and I can fuck you all we want. And you can also live happily with the person that you really like. I really want it. After pushing all these down beneath the sea for so many years, you appeared. The cuteness of a heavenly angel. You make me feel things, Fran.”
Francis blinked. He wasn’t quite sure how to respond. Was it a confession of love? No way. They both denied that. There was absolutely no love between them. Just lust then? That was much more probably. But the issue wasn’t so much of figuring out her feelings, no. He had to figure out how to respond, and the gaze of Katalina didn’t really help.