A Contract

Yuji was forced to go all over the capital the following day and into several meetings with nobility he spent no time or exertion trying to remember. Nervous energy built up as he attempted to pretend, grief leaning heavy against him.

He had no cause to see the emissary again that day, but the feeling of him floated around as if he were a part of every thread of the world, every brick, or speck of dust was an eerie representation of who held the power within the kingdom.

“My lord.” Yuji stopped turning to a maid dressed all in gray blue. She curtsied with her face turned to the ground. “May I speak with you, my lord?”

“Your Rosafiere, if I remember correctly.”

The maid gently nodded. “I am, my lord.”

Yuji glanced around them, despite the foliage in the royal conservatory and their carefully chosen location he couldn’t discard the sensation of being watched. “What is it you’ve come to see me about?”

She stepped close taking his hand pressing something into it. “Forgive me, my lord, I seem to have forgotten what it was.”

He closed his fingers around the object allowing her hand to retract. “It’s fine.”

“Please excuse me my lord.” She curtsied and ran off without looking back.

Yuji didn’t dare look at it, the folds of a note poking into his hand. Carefully he slipped it into his pocket and rejoined the group who had entered the conservatory.

In his room later that night he dared to open the slip of paper. The handwriting was very thin and flowing, scrolled out in dark bluish ink across the cream paper.

“I dreamt of you last night. In my dream you stood at the top of a great hill and looked up to the sky. I saw you there and I wanted to go to you, but I couldn’t move from where I was. As the dream went on you changed and grew older, until you were well advanced in years. The longer I watched you the more my longing to be with you grew. And when you were not there a heavy loneliness pressed in so I couldn’t breathe for want to see you. I woke before the dreams end. What do you imagine it means?

“I now have a tremendous longing to see you, but I’ve been told I am not allowed to receive visitors and will not be permitted to until after the Luner Ascension Ceremony. I have such a sense of anticipation, and I feel that if I could only see you it would be eased. But I must settle myself with this. Be well my friend.”

Yuji read the note several times before folding it, going to the fire, and tossing it in. The cream page opened and writhed for a single moment before turning to ash. He wanted to keep it, but it was too risky.

Close to midnight there was a knock at the door. Yuji went to it acting much as he had the previous night. The same servant was waiting for him. Without a word he stepped out, following after him. The hall was ghostly, though the feasting was still carrying on this part of the palace seemed completely abandoned.

The path they took to the prince’s apartment was longer this time, wrapping around carefully navigating a section of the palace in active use. When they arrived, Yuji was ushered inside with the same level of ceremony as before. Prince Cadfael smiled at him from the lounge, a portion of his joviality melted away.

“It’s good to see you again my lord. Please make yourself comfortable.” There was no glass of wine in his hand this time.

“You weren’t at the banquet your highness.” Yuji took a seat as directed.

“Yes, and you left early. I’m afraid I wasn’t in the mood for the public and as no one expects much from me, I am let off usually without much fuss. Would you care for a drink?” He gestured to the decanters that sat on top of a large ornate cabinet.

“No thank you, I really don’t drink much.”

“But you don’t mind other people doing so, do you?”

Yuji smiled. “Some people are easier to talk to after having a few drinks.”

An unfortunately common business tactic from my world.

“Yes, their lips become remarkably moist and slippery. You know Lord Till, you don’t fit well. You’re like a piece out of place. Don’t worry, I don’t care one way or another, so long as the two of us can get along.”

“Forgive me your highness, I don’t mean to seem ungrateful for the audience but time, as we discussed in our last meeting, is short and so forgive me for asking what it was you wished to tell me?”

Prince Cadfael lay on his back staring up at the ceiling, a representation of twilight. “What do you know of the condition that has befallen the Centauri Seren?”

“Befallen her?”

He glanced at Yuji. “You are aware she ‘assumed’ the position. That is to suggest that she was not always as she now is.”

“I was aware that she was once normal, but no one I’ve spoken to seems to know anything about her.”

The prince gave a small laugh. “Oh, is that a coincidence? Probably not. You could call what she has a sort of condition. Oh, I am going to get myself in great trouble for this one you know. I am going to tell you secrets only the royal family and the elves themselves may know.” Another slight laugh. “But why should a dead man care if he tells secrets. Do you know that? I am dead already. When my elder brother replaces my father on his gilded throne I will be dispatched. I suppose I’ll die in a hunting accident. Maybe a grand assassination. Or possibly I’ll just fall down the stairs like others. If this projected future wasn’t intended for me simply because of the first prince, well then, the third prince being born from the kings first wife, the queen, has all but solidified it. Ah, such is life.”

Prince Cadfael sat up planting his feet on the floor, dreadfully serious. “Before I continue, I think we should make a contract. It is the most secure way of protecting ourselves and it will prevent betrayal. Are you open to something of that nature, Lord Till?”

He had made a contract once before, but then it hadn’t been one at all, just a little game played by someone desperate. The terms of that one hadn’t been terrible true or not, but what would be the terms of this one?

It matters as much as it did the first time.

“Alright.”

The prince held up his right index and middle fingers. “We needn’t make our language formal. The magic will take care of itself so let us just state things as they are. We agree to be each other’s ally. We will not speak to betray one another. We will not inform another of our plans or agreements, or any other particulars pertaining to our relationship that we have not previously agreed upon. What risks we take in our partnership we take of our own volition and if we are caught, we will neither divulge the other party’s involvement, nor attempt to shift blame to save ourselves. As you will assume a position of vassalhood and because I don’t wish to waste my time, you will agree that your life, unless forfeited through battle or illness, belongs to me. As such, you will not dispatch yourself unless there is no other recourse, that means forced or provoked suicide is out as well. Even if the occasion may come where you should wish to seek death, you cannot do so without my consent. How are those terms?”

I will probably die if this doesn’t work out anyway.

“Fine, I agree.”

A light appeared from the prince’s extended fingers dancing around them and squeezing tightly before vanishing. There was a moment when the prince looked weak and then he seemed to recover, reclining once again on the lounge.

“There, now we have no need to fear each other, though I must say I was surprised to see the name on your contract.”

“The name?”

“Oh yes. It was Yuji Louis Valentinov. Quite a surprise. Oh, don’t look bothered I don’t honestly care who you are. In this world you are Lord Till Bastion son of the great Margrave of Gloam and ardent supporter of the throne and country. You’re obviously not a shapeshifter and if you where you wouldn’t be so stupid as to make a contract with me. Thus, though you are Yuji you are also Lord Till. As for the rest of it, well it doesn’t matter. You have sworn to serve me and that is all there is. So now I will tell you what I know of the Centauri Seren, and we shall discuss a few other things before we decide on how we should thwart the plan of a load of pesky fay folk.”