Manipulation (1)

Thursday morning 4:41 am - Headquarters basment.

I spent the remaining one and a half hours watching the boy and preparing my arguments. The closer his wake-up time came, the more impatient I became.

I had taken advantage of his unconsciousness to take pictures of his ‘corpse’. For a while, I had been enjoying covering him with fake blood and making him look pale. We kept make-up for staging purposes, as requested by clients. Our organization specialized in assassination, but we could carry out all sorts of requests that didn't require killing.

I mopped the floor, cleaned his skin with magic wipes, and then put him back in his chair when I was done. His body was limp like runny cheese, he was sprawling over himself and his head was falling forward.

Although there were still large patches of animal blood on his top, our guest had regained his color...

Waiting against the cold wall, the muscles in my back had become tense. A few minutes later, the body of the prince began to stir. He must have felt all sorts of pain, like a big headache.

It took him exactly one minute and seventeen seconds to fully open his doe eyes. I watched his every move like a predator lurking in the shadows.

He panicked, made a brief reconnaissance of the place, and realized that he was strapped down and held hostage. He thought he had been dreaming, but then he realised that no, all his chaotic memories were real.

He saw that I was staring at him indifferently. His face was so expressive that I could read him without trying. A poor child overwhelmed with incomprehension. Too confused to realize that his life was at stake. He was just a target tied up in my sights, impossible to miss.

I had to do something to quell the fear that was rising in his pupils.

Smile. Reassure him. Be full of life and lightness. Bait him with a handful of food.

I didn't like wearing masks. Masks don't stand the test of time. Yet I had learned to play all roles to perfection “Well, well, well... hello his Highness! I hope you were able to rest. Don't worry, we are alone. And as long as you act reasonably, nothing will happen to you.”

As long as you give me what I want, nothing will happen to you.

I smiled forcibly and spoke in a honeyed voice. The prisoner was a little more confused, wondering which side I was on: ally or enemy?

The answer came as he looked at me more closely. He became pale, unable to utter a sound. It is the look that reveals our true intentions and mine were scaring the hell out of him. He would have done better listening to his instincts. He did not. He preferred to remain skeptical about me. Memories of our first meeting gradually surfaced as his face frowned.

Where did the blood on his pajamas come from? What was he doing strapped to a chair? Was I going to release him? Of all the questions that preoccupied him, he asked only a stupid one.

“Am I dead?”

“Do I look like a revenant?”

I lowered myself to his level, arms crossed.

Unable to prove otherwise, he chose not to retort rather than incur my wrath. Disappointed, I stood up in a huff before exhaling a long sigh.

We can't even have fun...

“I made you look dead. Only you and I know that this blood is a substitute.”

Suddenly he opened his mouth, but then swallowed his idea. After a second thought, he barked “What? Why do you want people to think I'm dead? On what grounds? Wasn't kidnapping me enough?”

“We saved you from an attack. If you're dead, no one will try to hurt you again.”

“That's an odd way to protect me. You can thank Father for me. Now let me go!”

Who does he think I am? His maid?

“We were not working for your family, his Highness. We certainly won't untie you either,” I raised my voice.

When people get upset, they expect a reaction from the other person. I don't play their game. I remain so neutral that they lose their temper.

“What does it matter? You have no right to question my orders! Get me out of here!”

He fidgeted for a moment before he realized that using force was futile.

“Don't ignore me! You heard me very well! Disobeying me is punishable by prison!”

I did not move an inch. He had no credibility left. He could almost have convinced me to postpone our insipid discussion until the next day, so grotesque was he becoming. Leaving him to meditate in the dark and cold all night would have taught him where he belonged from now on. Unfortunately, I didn't have time for that.

“In the meantime, you are the only prisoner here,” I said sarcastically.

I have no use for your authority. You no longer have a title to hold on to, my sweet prince...

“Please, I insist on knowing what brings us together in this...” He could not find the right words to describe the place where we were.

“A combination of circumstances, it seems to me. A client hired us to eliminate you, but we had the opportunity to get paid without doing so. That's still a saving of energy...”

It was a very poor outline of the situation, but it was enough for the moment.

“Was it? All this charade for money?! Take me back to the authorities, and let them arrest these schemers, so I can be resurrected. Come on, what are you waiting for? Should I dismiss you from your mission? I'll make sure to report your barbarous methods! This is intolerable!”

I can't believe it! Who does he think he is to give me orders! ‘Energy saving’, you kidding, he's already boring me!

“You, pretentious stupid brat! I'm not your maid. There's nothing to hold me leaving you to be eaten by rats if you insist!”

The pretentious stupid brat clung to his iron chair, amazed that I, who had been so distant, should suddenly insult him...

His reply was not affected by this stupefaction. “You're being very perceptive. You are right. It is true that my status as a legitimate heir does not grant me any authority over you... But wait until I become your kin-…“ He paused as he spotted the small table at his side. “Hmm, is this drink for me? I happen to be suffering from terrible nausea...”

How could he be so unfocused? All he cared about was himself, what an ingrate! He'd better not offend me anymore, especially since he didn't know me.

If he was worthless, I would have spilled his blood without hesitation. I wanted to sleep, to have some peace and quiet, to see Big Brother again... My patience was too limited to teach him a lesson at this hour.

The glass. It had completely slipped my mind. I handed it to him, but he couldn't take it because his arms were tied to the chair. It was a way for me to taunt him. The thirsty boy desperately followed the glass with his eyes as I danced it under his nose. “You see, his Highness? I'm the one giving orders here,” I pointed out graciously.

“Would you be so kind as to release me from my bonds? I would like to drink what you have if you don’t mind.”

Instead of listening to him, I served him his drink like a bottle. He deserved no more consideration. He drank the entire contents, dripping several gulps down his chin. Now he bent his head in curious positions to wipe his pajamas.

“I’m delighted that you responded to this request. But I don't appreciate what you injected me with earlier. And for savagely knocking me out too. What brutality for a young lady!”

These accusations only annoyed me more. Not because he was trying to make me pay for his unhappiness, but because his overused language was becoming heavy to stand.

“They were just precautions to get you out of the way.”

“Wow. You are so unkind. Nobody would want you at the Royal Court,” he said indignantly. “Could you at least tell me what time is it?”

“I certainly can, but I don’t intend to.”

“Hmm, I see. Then... May I ask, do you want something from me, or am I going to be stuck here forever without knowing what time is it?”

“I do have a proposition for you, in fact.”

“Speak up.”

“You can work for our organization, or you can rot here forever. For your information, starving to death is by far the most painful death there is.”

“...And you are?”

“Do you have any idea what the ‘Killer Wind’ is?”

“No, I don't. Am I supposed to have heard of it or.. you? You're very generous to spare me, but I have other hobbies than robbing. I'm a prince after all! I was raised to make our kingdom prosperous. I am in no way destined to pursue bounties. You misunderstand me, I would be of no use to you!”

What a good joke! That explained a lot: he knew absolutely nothing about us. He was kept away from our crimes, believing that it would protect him, which had obviously not worked.

“For you, his Highness, I risked being arrested by the Royal Guard and dying. We have just saved you from an attack prepared by our clients. Make an effort and be grateful for once!”

“Forgive me, you misunderstood me, that's not what I was saying... uh... My family will be able to offer you much more than your clients for the services rendered. I can also guarantee you immunity if it's the fear of consequences that holds you back!”

The target was desperate for a deal to save his own skin. When would he accept the facts?

“The money is only appealing to my superior, you won’t fool me that way,” I said curtly. “In a few hours, the whole kingdom will know its heir is dead and they won't look for you anymore. It's no use coming back to the Hiven Palace, no one will care about you once the funeral is over. You'd be surprised how quickly people forget about dead relatives...”

All his illusions were cut short.

Does it hurt, his Highness? What a pity! It's only the truth...

“I wouldn't let anyone-” With a snap of my finger I silenced him. That way I was sure to have his attention.

If you want to think about my proposal, you have to stop bellowing first, you idiot.