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The Prince's Garden
3. Homecoming

3. Homecoming

-Alfonse-

I waited some time to be certain Jaonah was asleep before carefully leaving the bed myself and retrieving my clothing to dress. Even as he slept, his magic lights still floated through the air, and I wondered vaguely whether they took any effort from him to maintain. Elves took their spellcraft for granted, but I couldn’t help but be terribly jealous of his abilities; they would’ve come in quite handy in my own work.

He was not what I’d expected in many ways. Hungry, certainly, as were most who visited the Flower Bed, yet he hailed from the Empire, where it was said one could find companionship of a similar sort in any city. It was no lie to say I would’ve liked to learn more about him, if for no other reason than to expand my understanding of elvin society. I was certainly curious as to where a diplomatic envoy—this cousin he’d mentioned—might be bound to pass through Vallerie. My contacts had heard rumors in recent weeks that our neighbor kingdom of Hila was in talks with the Empire. Perhaps Jaonah and his companion were meant as reinforcements? ‘Another voice of the Empire,’ he’d said.

A lead to pursue, I suppose.

Before I left, I considered taking the liberty of collecting my payment from Jaonah’s purse, but as I stood by, observing him as he slept, I decided there was no need. It wasn’t as though I needed the money, after all, and he’d already shared quite a lot, demonstrating his magic for me. Besides, he was kind and respectful, even deferential. There was no need to humble him with a hefty charge.

Gathering my things, I exited the room through a hidden door at the back of the partitioned closet and locked it again behind me. The narrow passage beyond led me to the Flowers’ quarters, which were nearly as grand as the outer area the clients saw but not so thoroughly shrouded in mystery. Exposed walls of pale stone were lit here and there with sconces, and the common area, lined with plush seating, was already milling with a few of my fellows who had retired for the evening.

“Oleander.” Our second elvin Flower, Carelles, caught sight of me and waved me over to the armchair he was curled up in. His dark hair was even longer than mine, his eyes darkly lined and cheeks softly rouged; he was one of few Flowers who exclusively took male clients. Pouting up at me, he teased, “You naughty thing, you stole that lovely elvin boy from me. Dani told me he was looking for someone of my ‘type,’ but when I arrived, he was already taken with you.”

Somehow, it didn’t surprise me that Danielle had tried to steer Jaonah away from me. She had been wary of me since her very first night with us. Not that I could blame her. “It was entirely by accident,” I assured him with a sympathetic smile. “But consider it repayment for your snaring Lord Cadeau away from me.”

“Oh, you hardly need his patronage when you have so many other options,” Carelles argued, waving a hand at me. “Besides, it looks to me like you enjoyed his company as much as he did yours.” With a playful smile, he gestured toward his neck, and I reached up to find there was a sore spot on my own. Jaonah must have left a mark on me. Surprisingly bold, considering how gentle he was otherwise.

“Perhaps I did,” I told Carelles mischievously as I continued on my way toward the baths. “I’ll be sure to ask your permission next time I’m propositioned by a man.”

“See that you do!” he called after me.

Some of the others greeted me as I passed, but no one else stopped me on my way. The air in the bath rooms was clouded with floral-scented steam, the various tubs populated by other Flowers who, like me, had recently left satisfied clients. There was little need for modesty among the workers in a brothel, so I undressed without ceremony, aware no one was paying me any mind. After a much-needed and, dare I say, well-deserved bath, I wrapped in a towel and retreated to my own room to dress in fresh clothes.

Exhausted as I was, there was no time to sleep. Not yet. Rather, as it was nearing midnight, I visited Madam Elain in her office. The guard at the door nodded to me respectfully, still wearing his silver mask despite the fact that none of our patrons were present. “She’s expecting you,” he said, gesturing for me to enter.

Elain was seated at her desk with a ledger open on its top when I stepped inside. Glancing up at me, she smiled and called warmly, “Come in, my darling, don’t be shy.” She was as Rilleaudin a woman as one could imagine, from her elaborate dress to her throaty voice to her thick, red-dyed hair. With all the makeup she wore, one would hardly guess she was nearing her 50s—but there was nothing she could hide from me. I already knew all she had to tell and then some.

“Madam,” I said, making myself comfortable in one of the velvet-upholstered chairs opposite her desk, sitting sideways with my legs draped over one of its arms. “I trust all is well?”

“Of course. Despite that nasty little display by Lord Liet earlier.” She pursed her lips in obvious distaste. “He’s been dealt with, never fear. With luck, he’ll be wise enough to keep his distance and I’ll not be forced to take more drastic measures.”

“He will. For all his insistence on ‘dominance’ with Satella, he’s a coward. Any threat more than a single compromised elvin girl will be enough to deter him.” The man was so simple to read that anyone, even without my trained eye, could have picked him apart with a single glance. Not only a coward but a bore. “Leaving him aside, what can you tell me of business since last I visited?”

“Little of note, I’m afraid.” She got up and crossed to a bookshelf on the wall to my left, retrieving a leather-bound journal to deliver it to me. Within, I found all the intelligence she and my fellow Flowers had gathered since the beginning of the current year. And she was correct: little had been added since my most recent trip.

“Hmm,” I muttered, unimpressed. “Was business slower than usual for some reason? Were there no patrons to speak of?”

“No, we’ve done quite well of late. Compare our profits to those we made last year and—”

I cut her off with a drawn-out, exaggerated sigh, tossing the journal onto her desktop. “The Gardener is not interested in your profits, madam,” I told her plainly. “Nor does he care for excuses. This establishment was founded for the express purpose of his having a presence here in Vallerie—for the purpose of supplying his Garden with information. If you or your staff have forgotten that—”

“We haven’t,” she argued quickly, tension showing through her voice and expression despite her efforts. She was typically skilled at masking her emotions, which was part of the reason she was appointed to this position, but when put under pressure from the Gardener himself, any intelligent Rilleaudin would begin to sweat. “Are you aware we were visited by elvin royalty this evening? The emperor’s own nephew, Prince Taegen—”

“Yes, I entertained one of his companions earlier,” I agreed. “Do you have any idea to where they’re traveling?”

Elain tilted her head to one side as if the question might be a trick of some sort. “Presumably to Aurilême,” she answered cautiously, “to meet with His Majesty.”

Of course, there was no way she could have known it, but if Jaonah and his cousin were on their way to speak with the king and queen of Rilleaud, I would have been notified already. “That is a possibility, I suppose.” After a moment more of consideration, I pushed to my feet and went on, “I plan to depart at daybreak. It would be in your best interest to provide me with some further information to report before I do.”

After sweeping an elegant bow, I left the office to hear her cursing me quietly behind my back. I didn’t bother to reprimand her for it, amusing myself with the thought of how she might react if she learned exactly how close the Gardener and I were.

— — —

True to my word, I woke to leave the Flower Bed near six o’clock the following morning. And my vague threat proved to be effective, as Madam Elain met me at the rear door with a sheaf of paper containing several new notes. Interesting how much more efficient one could become with the proper motivation. But then, she had never failed to deliver in the past, so I knew it wouldn't be necessary to follow through with my threats.

I had come from Aurilême to Vallerie alone, a thought that would have sent my mother’s head reeling with unwarranted fear; despite knowing otherwise, she tended to assume that her children needed an escort any time they traveled. I wasn’t concerned with bandits on the road, nor did it especially bother me to be alone with my own thoughts. Besides, what my mother didn’t know couldn’t distress her.

On my arrival, I had left my horse, a strong-willed dark bay by the name of Abrielle, in the care of a local stable. The groom I spoke to seemed relieved that I had come to retrieve him. “Surely he couldn’t have caused you much trouble in only a few days,” I said as I followed him inside, though I wasn’t certain how true that was. Like myself, Abrielle was prone to restlessness, so being forced to stay still while I attended my business in the city had likely frustrated him.

“No, my lord, not trouble,” the groom answered quickly as if in fear he might offend me. He was young, I supposed, and I’d been told I had an intimidating air about me at times. Now that I was no longer playing the part of Oleander, I must have seemed less welcoming. “But I think he’ll be pleased to have more space to roam.” That much, we could agree on.

I gave the young man a tip for his patience, and within minutes, Abrielle and I were cantering down the main road that would lead us back to the capital. Assuming his usual speed and stamina remained, the journey would take us roughly two full days. Magdalene was sure to grouse at me for being away for so long, but she wasn’t the sort to hold grudges; she would forgive me soon enough.

Because our traveling left me largely idle, I found my mind wandering, not only to my duties at home, not only to the work I had been neglecting for the past week (which I much looked forward to addressing), but to something unexpected: my previous night in the Flower Bed, and the evening’s patron in particular.

As the Sun made its way higher overhead, I wondered whether Jaonah and his cousin the diplomat had begun their travels as well. Elves were quite fond of efficiency and practicality in all things—or so I had been told—but then, they were royalty. Perhaps they were the lazy sort to sleep in and only travel when it pleased them. Perhaps they would have found Vallerie’s temptations too powerful to leave behind and chosen to stay another night. Would Jaonah look for me, I wondered? Would he find Carelles an apt substitute? I somehow felt that Carelles might be a bit too soft for his liking—not that it was any concern of mine.

Contrary to my own will, I recalled the way he’d looked me while we were in bed, the soft tension in his touch, the kindness in his eyes that was all but alien to me. ‘Beauty,’ he’d called me. So bizarre to see such honesty in a kingdom that thrived on secrets. As the country thrives, so do her rulers.

Firmly pushing those images from my mind, I reminded myself that it was Oleander who had caught his eye, Oleander whose coy flirtation had won him over, Oleander who had shared that one night of pleasure with him. Jaonah’s infatuation was with a poisonous Flower, not a Gardener, and certainly not a prince.

Our trip wore on, and my mount’s energy astounded, as always. We stopped rarely and briefly for water and food, then again at nightfall for an hour or two of sleep. It was, as expected, dawn two days hence when finally we passed through the palace gates and I was able to lead Abrielle to the stables.

“And not a moment too soon,” I teased, patting his sweat-dampened neck. “I think you could use a bath, my friend.” Of course, the same could be said of me.

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The stablehand who met us was clearly still half-asleep, and he nearly choked on a yawn when his eyes registered my face. “Prince Alfonse!” he stammered, trying to smooth his mussed hair and nervously avoiding my eyes. “Please forgive my untidiness, highness; I didn’t expect you. Was your trip pleasant?”

“Of course. I’m always grateful for the opportunity to see more of our fair country.” Handing off Abrielle’s reins, I asked, “You’ll see to him?”

“Yes, certainly. I’m sure you must be weary from traveling. Please, leave him to me.”

“Thank you.” Confident that he was in capable hands, I hurried inside the palace and moved as quietly through the halls as possible toward my own room. At this time, much of my family and many of our servants were still asleep; perhaps by that virtue, I managed to reach my own quarters without being (for lack of a better word) caught.

After a deliciously hot bath and, more importantly, a few hours of solitude, I emerged from my room dressed in proper royal fashion—which is to say, richly and formally—only to find Magdalene waiting just outside my door. The crimson mulberry silk of her gown stood out starkly against the pale palace walls, the warm brown of her skin contrasting the cold glint in her eye. To say I was surprised to see her would’ve been a lie.

“Pleasure to have you back, highness.” Her low voice, accented with a dialect of Rilleaudin not common in the capital, had a certain edge to it that betrayed her irritation.

“Pleasure to be back, spymaster.”

“Don’t think you can win my forgiveness by flattering me with bygone titles,” she answered, waving away my pleasant airs. “Could we speak in private?”

I could hardly refuse a request from her, knowing her frustration was fully justified. With a defeated sigh, I stepped back and gestured for her to join me in my room. She did, posture straight as ever, arms folded. Her body language gave away little, as one might expect of a woman who had spent her entire life capitalizing on deception. Her being twice my age simply meant she had twice—no, several times—my experience.

“Four days. That is what you told me,” she started, gazing idly out the window on the far wall. “A visit to collect what the Flowers had gathered. Any Raptor could have accomplished the same, yet you insisted it should be you. I realize now that the reports were never your priority. You simply wanted the opportunity to indulge Oleander. I should have expected as much.”

It wasn’t like me to spend much time dwelling on guilt. In my line of work, it just wasn’t practical. Yet of all the people I could have disappointed, of all the associates who could have berated me, Magdalene’s disapproval cut the deepest by far. “He does have admirers in Vallerie,” I pointed out, though I knew my argument was weak. “Admirers who are of use to us. And if Elain isn’t kept in line, she tends to forget what she’s there for.”

“Meaning you needed an additional three days to corral her?” my mentor hissed, rounding on me so her shining black finger coils flared out around her head. “Bear in mind who trained you to be the apt deceiver and manipulator that you are, Alfonse; of all targets you could choose to exercise those talents, I will not be one.”

Quickly losing the will to defend myself, I lowered my head in a deferential bow. “I had a lapse of discipline. It was irresponsible and I apologize.” Straightening up again to meet her eyes, I went on, “But the sooner you allow me to move forward from that mistake, the sooner I can attend to the duties I’ve been neglecting.”

She watched me sternly for only a moment longer before taking a deep breath and letting it out as a sigh. “My chastising you won’t change what’s done, it’s true. But the next time you leave for Vallerie, I will be accompanying you.” Nevertheless, she waved the issue aside. “Go and eat breakfast with your family, highness. Nicolette has missed you, and your mother—”

“Worries. I’m aware. I’ll go let her know that I arrived uninjured so she might stop fretting,” I said wearily, following Magdalene out of my room and locking the door behind me. As she turned to our left, rather than right toward the dining hall, I frowned. “Will you not be joining us?”

“Someone has to ready the Garden for its keeper’s return,” she pointed out quietly so the sound wouldn’t carry. The Garden was quite a controversial subject within the Rodin household. “Never fear, you and I will be spending much of our day together once you’ve seen to your family’s concerns.” She inclined her head, then turned on her heel to stride purposefully down the corridor, presumably toward our office. As I made my way toward the dining hall, fingertips absently tracing the patterns of polished gneiss laid into the travertine walls, I thought up the lie I would give my family to explain my absence.

“Alfonse, my darling!” As expected, my mother was delighted to see me, her voice ringing through the hall as she beckoned me close. I was, in some ways, surprised she had noticed my absence enough to welcome me back so warmly. As the middle child of seven, I was accustomed to going overlooked. Nevertheless, she drew me into an embrace where she sat and kissed both my cheeks. “Sit beside me, my sweet, and tell me where you’ve been.”

“I visited Belfort, Mother.” I took a seat at her left side, between her and my younger sister, Nicolette, who also greeted me with a slight smile. “Did I not tell you so before I left?”

“You said little at all before you left, in fact,” my older brother, Dominie, pointed out, eyeing me warily. He had more of our father’s look than I could boast, down to his frown and his very imposing glare. “Even Dame Magdalene couldn’t tell us where you’d gone. But I suppose by this point, we should hardly expect to be kept abreast of your dealings.”

“Our dealings, dear brother,” I answered with a pleasant smile. “I was there on behalf of our family, after all. You’ll be pleased to know, Mother, that Uncle Similien’s transition to power has progressed smoothly. The people trusted him as a marquess and are pleased to have him as their duke.” I knew this based on information gathered by my Raptors, but it was true nevertheless. No sense in giving myself unnecessary falsehoods to keep track of.

“How kind of you to see to him, my love,” she answered, not willing to question me in the slightest. Rife though our kingdom might be with secrecy, she would never have suspected her own children of deceiving her.

“Tell me of Belfort, Brother,” Nicolette whispered, waving a hand lightly for my attention, gazing up at me with wide eyes that gleamed like polished jet. “Are the lambs about yet? I’ve missed them.”

“More still than on our last visit,” I replied, matching her volume to keep the conversation between the two of us. “Long-tailed little ones in every field. I gave them your love, of course.” She grinned back at me, dark eyes disappearing into a squint of delight as she pressed her knuckles to her mouth.

“Ah, so you have chosen to join us,” Dominie called across the dining hall, and I turned over my shoulder to find my older sister, Caterine, gliding into the room with her head held high as always. “It’s because you heard Alfonse had returned, isn’t it? Why else bother attending breakfast for the first time in days?”

“Concern yourself less with my attendance and more with your own unfastened cuffs,” she answered blithely, tossing a black curl back over her shoulder as she seated herself at the table. Dominie visibly flushed and buttoned his cuffs, carefully straightening them both. Our appearances were a matter of pride, from the highest noble to the lowest commoner, so it was only right that he be duly embarrassed. That being said, Caterine was the only one of us who would have so brazenly pointed out his untidiness.

As the kitchen staff swept in to serve our meal—spicy wheat noodles, thin scallion pancakes, and sweet steamed buns—I tried to keep the conversation neutral, asking, “Where is Gilbert? Could the country’s governing not wait until after breakfast?”

“It certainly can’t, to hear him say it,” Mother sighed, picking delicately at her plate. “Why, I think he would spend his every waking moment studying at your father’s side if he could.”

“The title of king is not something one can set aside when it suits him,” Dominie said quietly. No one bothered disrupting him, no matter how irritating his condescension was. Caterine blew on a bite of pancake caught in her kuàizi, while Nicolette silently nibbled a custard bun. “Even a future king. Though I don’t suppose you’d know anything of that, Alfonse.” It took all my willpower to resist rolling my eyes at him. If only you knew.

“I’m more concerned with where we might find the twins,” Caterine said mildly. “For them to skip a meal, they must be getting into some very interesting mischief.”

“Let the boys have their fun,” Mother told her, obviously unconcerned. “It’s harmless, I’m sure.”

The meal progressed in usual fashion, with my brother and sister sniping at each other—and occasionally me, until I set them both straight, then Mother very regretfully leaving us for the vast amounts of obligatory socializing required of her. Eventually, Dominie slunk off to whatever advisory duties awaited him, and Caterine flounced away to pursue whatever held her interest for the moment.

When I tried to leave for my office, predictably, Nicolette followed along behind me. Stopping just outside the dining hall, I turned to her with an apologetic smile. “I have business to see to with Dame Magdalene,” I told her. “But I’ll spend the evening with you, all right?” I started away again, and she continued to follow. Letting out an exasperated sigh, I tried to explain, “I have to go, mouse. My trip cost me valuable time, so I need to see Magdalene to make it up. Later, I promise you.”

“But you’ve been away for so long,” she reminded me, quiet as ever despite her insistence, fidgeting hands lost in the wide sleeves of her gown. The sadness in her eyes wrenched at my heart even as I tried to combat it. “Don’t you want to know about Lydia’s confrontation with the minister?” I needed a moment to realize she was talking about the main character of the book we’d been reading together recently. “I’ve waited all this time to read it with you.”

“I’m sorry. But I don’t intend to leave again any time soon, so we’ll find out what happens to Lydia tonight,” I told her, remaining firm despite my reluctance to dismiss her. She received far too much of that from every other member of our family. “In the meantime, why not find Roselyn and ask her to read something else with you? I’m sure she would be happy to.”

“I suppose,” my sister agreed with a sad sigh, lowering her eyes toward the ground. “But don’t forget! You’ve promised.” I crossed my heart as she left for her own room, where she spent much of her time, allowing me to hurry through the corridors toward my own destination.

On my way up the winding tower stairs that led to the office from which Magdalene and I had always managed the Garden, I noted a quiet scuffling somewhere against the outer wall and paused in my tracks for a moment. At any other time, I might have been gracious about this, but at this moment, I was already impatient. I continued upward, ignoring the fact that I was being stalked. Even as I was unlocking the door, there was a sound of scratching stone outside the window at my back. Child’s play.

When I opened the door and began to step inside, my assailant pounced—and I easily dodged her attack, seizing her arm to throw her to the ground and planting my boot between her shoulder blades. “Am I wrong, or was this attempt worse than the last?” I mused, glancing at Magdalene, who was seated at her desk and didn’t look up at the commotion.

“It was quite clumsy,” she agreed. The young woman trapped under my foot wriggled and cursed under her breath, eventually managing to roll away. But she knew she was beaten and didn’t bother with a second attack, sitting still on the floor and blowing a loose lock of orange hair away from her eyes.

“I almost had you,” Roselyn said with a pout, crossing her arms.

“Hardly. You’ll need surer footing and more stability if you’re ever to work as a Viper,” I told her. She was an adept Raptor (for the most part), a spy for the Garden, one of few who knew of my connection to it—and my younger sister’s handmaiden. “But now isn’t the time for a lesson in stealth. Nicolette is downstairs alone, yet you’re here wasting your time on fruitless ambush tactics.”

She must have heard the sharp edge to my voice, as she arranged herself into a more respectful posture and bowed her head. “Forgive me, highness. I’d hoped to impress you on your return.”

“You failed,” I answered coolly. “And I haven’t the time to correct your performance at the moment. Back to your duties, and I’ll call for you when I have need of a clumsy fledgling.” Roselyn winced slightly at my words but knew better than to argue, bowing out of the room as gracefully as possible and, I hoped, going back to my sister’s side so that she wouldn’t remain lonely.

“‘A clumsy fledgling’?” Magdalene repeated, finally raising her eyes toward mine. “That’s a bit harsh. You must be very eager to return to work if you’ve gotten so irritable.”

Eager to prove how wrong my brother was, perhaps; his jabs regarding how useless I was to the kingdom normally missed their mark, as I knew otherwise, but when I’d already been chastised for irresponsibility that morning, I was a bit more sensitive to them. “Never mind,” I said, shutting the door behind me to seat myself on the opposite side of her desk, posture straight, hands folded in my lap. “Tell me what I’ve missed.”

Much of what she had to report was more or less expected. Surveillance of the Garden’s opponents went smoothly, tensions in the city were being held in check, and our borders were calm. All was well for the most part, but there was still a great deal of managerial work to be done, and I was happy to do it.

“There is one more thing that may interest you,” my mentor added as I was beginning to sort through the many written reports and schedules piled onto my desk. “Evidently, we’re to be visited by agents of the Empire sometime soon.”

The papers in my hands dropped noisily to the floor, scattering across the thick rugs while I remained frozen in shock. “What?” I managed to force out.

“A prince, I’m told, part of the emperes’ recent ventures into diplomacy,” she explained, eyeing me curiously.

“When did this happen? How is it I’m only just hearing of it?”

Raising an eyebrow, she asked, “Who’s to blame for your being distanced from royal dealings for a week’s time, highness? You would have known, had you been here. Is this a problem? I supposed you would be intrigued. Isn’t elvin society a subject of interest for you?”

I let out what could almost have been mistaken for a laugh, but there was no genuine mirth in the sound. There was no possible way this was a coincidence. Elain had been right: Jaonah and his cousin were on their way to Aurilême to visit my father. Meaning they would likely be staying within the palace itself. Meaning it would be all but impossible for me to avoid seeing him. I typically only employed Oleander far from the capital where I was certain no one would recognize me, and the strategy had always served me well. Until now. Of all the cruel tricks the gods might have played…

“Yes,” I told Magdalene quietly, pinching the bridge of my nose, “it is a problem. There’s something I should tell you of my time in Vallerie.”

Damn you, Oleander!