A Meeting Between Two Brothers

The morning was chaotic. Despite waking early, he had a difficult time locating Sir Hildebald and Sir Reginalt. Even Sir Euric who he had spoken to the morning of the escort party’s arrival seemed to have vanished into thin air. Under Mirk’s advisement he ran drills with the twenty men. Lord Till had kept to himself and discussed a few things about the departure that would take place in little over a fortnight. When that was done, he sent out the members of his personal forces to locate the missing men.

So much for preparing in advance. I had wanted them on my side.

An image of Sir Euric’s face when he had told him his final plans on how to take the reins, excluding information about Lady Menodora’s part in the matter, pulled to the front of his thoughts. Though he tried not to display it, Yuji could see his lack of faith. It had only been a few months since he had begun to live this life and an even fewer number of weeks since trying to take control of it, but the general lack of faith in Lord Till felt endemic.

It's like a credit score or a grade, it’s easy to bring it down and difficult to bring it back up again. If I were guessing I would say Lord Till had a loyalty credit score of five hundred.

“You’re upset again?” Mirk had chosen to walk beside him on their trek back to his room.

“Just feeling a little walled in? Was your master very cold to his subordinates? Did he not listen to them at all?”

Mirk didn’t readily respond. “His priorities were set on gaining a position within the margrave’s house. Anything that did not appear to pursue that aim, and in the way he sought to pursue it, was disregarded.”

“So then is it possible to assume that their faith in him is not inspirationally large?”

There was another gap. “He was not so foolish as to not have priorities with those beneath him. However, there were those he felt were more expendable than others.”

“Is that how Sir Reginalt, Sir Euric, and Sir Hildebald obtained their positions? They were valuable?”

“They proved themselves quite adept at keeping up with my master’s pace and survival.”

“I feel suddenly very encouraged by their unexpected absences.”

As they approached the hall, Yuji paused and put Mirk on his shoulder to prevent them from being so easily separated. He had decided to wait for Lord Dain’s messenger in his room, he didn’t want to make it easy for him to know what he was doing.

“Do you think they’re planning something?”

Yuji couldn’t help a sigh. “I suppose that would rather depend on their state of mind and if someone could offer them something more enticing then continuing to work with me. Unfortunately, a lack of trust in any relationship can lead to a bad end.”

“A revolt.”

“Unfortunately. Though I wish I could rule it out, I think with what I know now of this new life, it would be rather short sighted of me to not consider it a possibility.”

“Have you given much thought to how you’d stem it?”

“Well, I’ve been holding on to the hope that by showing them I was listening and trying to act on their concerns I might be able to prove to them I’m on their side. But it could be that success in actually getting higher authority to listen to me is needed. I can’t honestly say at this point. All that’s left is to hope the next step will be the right one.”

I really don’t want to die from a coup d'état I didn’t even inspire. What a burden to pick up someone’s life so far into it.

Yuji straightened his posture attempting to dispel the burden that had begun to build in his chest. He wished he had been better at strategy games, inevitably it always ended in a loss for him.

“And if things don’t go as planned?”

Grimacing, Yuji gave the mongoose’s head a gentle itch with two fingers. “Well, we’ll just have to take things as they come. You know if someone would have told me a few months ago that I’d be trying to execute the duties of some kind of military commander I’d have laughed in their face. Que sera, sera I suppose.”

“What does that mean?”

“It’s been ages since you’ve asked me a question like that.” Yuji smiled glancing at the animal draped across his shoulders.

“That is simply because nothing you have said has required such a question of late. However, if you miss the question so much all you need to do is continue to say things requiring it.”

It felt relieving to laugh especially so unexpectantly. Yuji stroked the mongoose’s head once more. “It means whatever will be, will be.”

Lord Dain’s servant was standing near the bend in the hall that led to Yuji’s chamber, his appearance stalled the conversation between he and Mirk, an impression of gravity eviscerating the momentary mirth. The man bowed, but his general look suggested he was unimpressed by the noblemen he had been sent to retrieve, like the very action of doing so was an act of great humiliation for him.

Yuji was forced to recall the rank of the body he had been given, the longer journey to the more opulent side of the fortress emphasized his pariah status. How Lord Till had managed to scrape together a functional role within this society or the greater structure of this world he was forced to live in Yuji could only guess.

The servant announced Yuji’s arrival before allowing him into the room. Lord Dain stood near a great window in the side of the study, the luxury of glass being provided to him a subtle bow at his favor. Yuji’s own windows merely containing internal shutters to keep out the weather. Lord Dain didn’t stop to readily talk but seemed so engrossed in what he was reading it was impossible to tear his eyes away from it.

There was a resemblance between them, subtle but more present than there was between Lord Till and Lord Halius. He was taller and leaner than their older brother, with the overbearing musculature that had likely been the pride of the margrave before age and opulence took more of his attention than warfare and military prowess.

Lord Dain went from the window to his desk setting what he was reading on its surface. His person cutting a contrastingly late middle period figure against the opulence of the latter Renaissance that was the defining setting of his study. Likely, this was just another show of favoritism on the margrave’s account. The fact that the middle son not only had multiple rooms, but he was also kept in the latest fashion of the capital was quite telling.

Yuji couldn’t help an irritable scoff. It was a show of power. Lord Dain was flexing by making him stand and wait until he was ready to speak with him. The former passivity that had ruled his life percolated with disdain, the frayed edges of that carefully formed tapestry pulling apart thread by thread.

“I can see you’re busy.” Yuji finally spoke, finding it rather easy to channel the cold tones he had practiced so carefully when training to sound like Till. “We all are with the envoy and the upcoming departure to the capital. I have some business that can’t be put off, so if you are unable to speak with me now, I’ll go. You can send Sarkis to reschedule our appointment for another time.” Yuji moved toward the door.

“Wait a moment.”

“I have no interest in standing around watching you read.”

“I promise you I am not wasting your time. In fact, this letter concerns you, after all it is the one you sent.” Lord Dain retrieved and then oscillated the letter, that deadly look in his eyes despite his trying to appear open. “I thought I would look it over as I waited for you, I wasn’t expecting you to come so quickly considering how busy you should be with the up-and-coming events.” With a careless movement he released the letter, letting it fall on the desktop.

Though Yuji had always been a rather passive person it wasn’t due to intimidation or fear, rather it was his act of avoidance making the preventable more complicated. When people postured and attempted to throw their weight around it always appeared to him rather more of a display of weakness than actual strength. It was an attempt to win the battle without a physical fight. Often to avoid the fight he would just let them get their way; it had appeared to be a win-win at the time.

“I’m surprised you find it so captivating now. I sent it to you days ago and at that time it didn’t appear you perceived it as very urgent.”

“I must apologize if it seemed so. It was not my intention to disregard your concerns, it rather appeared to me at the time that this would be a conversation best had in person.”

“Is that so?” Visible cynicism made a mild appearance in Yuji’s imperious expression.

“You’re skeptical?”

“We’re both leaders Lord Dain, so we should value the importance of communicating our intentions. If one is incapable of doing so then it will be difficult to function within the inevitable diplomacy necessary for our positions. For example, like the contrast between your actions which put no importance on our communication and your current statement which attempts to.”

“I have never seen him look like this. I believe the sudden change in behavior is unnerving him.”

A covert nod was Yuji’s response to Mirk’s comment, his eyes not leaving Lord Dain who looked as if his mask had gotten a sudden chip.

“Take a seat.”

Yuji smiled when Dain didn’t first do so himself. “I would prefer to stand.”

Psychology must be in its infancy here. Does he really think I’m so stupid as to not realize what he’s doing? Or does he honestly think that Till would be so easily subdued? I’m a bit insulted on his behalf.

This action seemed to ruffle him a little more. It appeared to Yuji that Lord Dain had truly thought this would be an easy fight.

“Please forgive me for repeating that neither of us have time to waste. It would be advantageous if we were to get to the point as quickly as possible.”

“You doubt the route I’ve chosen, why?”

“The answer is written in the letter I sent you. If you don’t understand my argument, it is either you didn’t read it or you’re willfully choosing to ignore my opposition and the validity of the change.”

Ire danced through Lord Dain’s expression. His contempt was kept only just behind the boundary of overt visibility. “I was informed you discussed this with the margrave.”

“I did.”

“Did he agree with your proposed change?”

“The margrave is incapable of viewing the matter objectively, which is why I thought I should discuss it with you myself; hence the letter.”

“And you thought I would agree with you?”

“I thought you would be able to set glory, credit, and possibly other plans aside for your duty and honor. Was I incorrect in my estimations of you as a commander, Lord Dain?”

The laugh echoing from Mirk contrasted Lord Dain’s cold indignance. There was no show of mocked lightness, no mask of mild jocularity, it was ice that reflected in those cut features so cold it would freeze to death someone more easily affected by external influences.

“Is it true that you have gone to see the Centauri Seren and that you intend to approach the envoy about the matter?”

“It appears that your fears have been confirmed. Was it Sir Euric that told him of your secret or possibly he informed the others and one of them had the honor? Either way it seems there is a traitor among us. It is a good thing you didn’t tell them about your agreement with Lady Menodora, or who knows what this fool might do.”

Yuji stroked Mirk’s head several times before continuing, maintaining an air of unconcern at the accusations. Unable to help feeling himself cutting the image of a villain as he did so, so many movie scenes running through his mind.

“Tell me honestly Lord Dain, why I should answer your question?”

“Are you attempting to make me your enemy? If you are it will be a choice you will be made to regret.”

Yuji smiled softly looking into that caustic glare feeling surprisingly calm. “I have never seen you as an enemy Lord Dain, that’s why I wrote to you. Call it an olive branch.”

“A what?”

“Will you change your plans and support the route I suggested?”

“I see, this is a means by which you may garner favor with the margrave, secure your position, and gain glory.”

“People in times like this are so immature. I’m not such a fool to seek glory at the risk of others’ lives and if I ever was, the lesson you taught me or rather I recently learned has cured me of such a flaw. I wrote to you and advised you to reconsider your choice of route, as for what happens next, my conscience is clear. In regard to my plans, you have no right to know anything about them. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Lord Dain.”

Without another word Yuji turned and left the room.

“You did well.”

“Maybe so, but it is always dangerous to poke a lion.”

“What is a lion?”

Yuji laughed at Mirk’s question the burden in his chest releasing steam.