Friend

A prince, a queen, and a governor walked into the room. It sounded like a start of one of his bad jokes.

Well, now really wasn't the time for silly behavior. Prince Alberic came to the manor around noon and finally announced he wished to speak to him and Adanita, so they gathered in a small drawing room and had some tea. Thanks to Alberic's little offer for an alliance with Lilac, Rosamund now had a considerably better picture of the young man. This was going to be interesting.

Adanita was sitting next to him at an appropriate distance despite the shared couch. She was calm and collected, clearly ready for this. The two of them had a few days to recover from the devil's visit, so they were both quite alright. Alberic was alone on the couch across from them. His movements seemed somewhat pained, Rosamund wondered if the man got injured somewhere. Alberic's face was slightly paler than usual, but he was sitting with his back straight. He was all dressed up and handsome as usual, too. Nothing serious, then. Rosamund also wore fine clothes, but Adanita still didn't get her new outfits, so she simply had her usual common clothes and her signature sky blue coat.

"Good afternoon," Alberic started. "I hope you are faring well. My investigation in the current situation is still ongoing, but I've decided it is time to finally address the situation in the city. Captain Vervain, it is a pleasure to formally meet you. I always assumed that if it came to this, one of us would be in a prison cell, but I believe you can agree that this is far more comfortable for both parties."
Adanita's face twitched, but she refrained from replying.
He gave her a smug smile in return. "I believe it would be far more comfortable for both of us to drop the pleasantries and etiquette," he said. "I'd prefer for your insults to be intentional, while mine are clear and understood. What do you say?"
"I am amazed by your outrageous behavior. It is nearly enough to make me wish I met you sooner," she replied.
"Splendid! Now, onto the issue at hand." Talking a lot seemed to be painful for him. "What exactly are your goals, Captain?"
"A Royal Pardon for me and my city," she said. "Peaceful reintegration. A few more little favours, such as the school. Considering my contributions to your kingdom in the past few months, I'd say I deserve that much."
"And who would you put in charge of Hannau?"
"Myself, of course," she said with a straight face.
"Really? Lord Governor said he would take the duty."
"Hah! Quite an underhanded move, Lord Governor."
"Hardly. Would you not prefer to continue cooperating with me, instead of having another stranger sent your way? I thought we had reached at least some form of a mutual understanding by now," Rosamund coldly replied, playing along. "My suggestion comes as an honest attempt at diplomacy."
"I think the Prince would surely have a hard time finding someone only half as difficult as you."
"Or someone who would be willing to handle you. Working with a woman who constantly threatens you with swords will hardly be someone's preferred career choice."

"Gods, I do not know whether I should take this as evidence that you are lovers, or that you aren't. We will get back to this, then," Alberic said.

He needed another pause before continuing. "Let's see. Regarding the Royal Pardon, My Royal Mother disagrees. You are the current successor of a half-a-century long bloody rebellion, responsible for loss of countless lives and wealth caused by your escapades. A life you've chosen to save simply doesn't hold the same weight in the eyes of the Queen, even if it is a coworker she's grown reasonably fond of."
"Is that so? And here I thought I was making it easy for her. This offer comes from a place of compassion, you know? As a queen to a fellow queen, I am sure neither of us wants to waste ships and men on this."
"Do you really think you can defeat us?"
"Of course not. But the question is, how much can we weaken you before we die? Some would find it a worthy cause."
"Ah, so you plan to act irrationally. No wonder Lord Governor finds you so troublesome, Cesarion of the High Seas."

Oh, that was insulting. Adanita leaned forward in her seat. "You are rather short on weapons to back up the words you speak. Perhaps remedy that before you continue."
"Is that a challenge?"
"Do I need to make it into one?"
He let out a small laugh. "No, I do not believe a duel would do us much good. This is diplomacy, after all. Forgive me, I was merely trying to assess what Our poor Governor had to deal with for the past few weeks."
"Hah. Apology accepted." She leaned back and crossed her legs, staring down the Prince.

"Riling up the opponent is rarely seen as a proper diplomatic method," Rosamund said.
"Did you not tell me once that there are no opponents in diplomacy, only people trying to solve an issue the best way they can?" Alberic asked him with a smile.
"I reconsidered that after about the fifth time I needed to interact with you, Your Highness."
"So you see me as an enemy? The invitation to be directly offensive didn't apply to you, Lord Governor."
"Hardly. You are not my enemy, but it seems you consider me to be one. In either case, this isn't a conversation for this time. I do not want to distract you from the current issue."

Alberic considered it for a few moments. "Very good. Back to you, Your Highness," he said, turning back to Adanita. "What other favours and concessions are you willing to make?"
"Bretonian ships wouldn't be attacked anymore. Our ships can protect them from Bretonian enemies, and the merchants will be allowed to enter my port freely."
"Would you fight other pirates?"
"In your name? Absolutely not."
"Hm. Then how about this? We sighted a large serpent around Vardaei. It is close enough to the ship routes that it could begin to pose a danger to them. If you kill it for us, the My Royal Mother will surely look upon you more favorably."
"You must be joking. When was the last sighting?" she asked.
"Four months ago."
"And you didn't see it since then?"
"It appeared around the island consistently-"
"Until I hunted it down along with Captain Nino Moretti. It severely damaged one of his ships so we went out after it. He has its head, if you'd like it as evidence. You are welcome, by the by."
"Moretti? He is Mletak by blood?"
"Aye."
"Hm. I suppose you have proven yourself to be useful, then. What else could I have you do..."
"How about asking me to fetch you a golden ring from the bottom of the sea? I am not a suitor for you to give me three impossible tasks to solve. If you want to ask me to go on little quests such as those, I would be willing to sign those terms. You can put it on the same page as the Royal Pardon. If you think I'll do such things for you for a mere promise you will stop hanging the people under my command, you must be an idiot."
"You say it as if you didn't commit crimes that warrant such a punishment."
She gave him a sharp smile. "Give us a Pardon, then."
"Hm... Back to you then, Lord Governor."

Rosamund straightened out. Alberic's lips twitched at that. He really was injured, Rosamund could see the way he winced as he reached for his teacup. He didn't even pick up the little plate under it, as etiquette demanded. Was the previous request to dismiss it a way to make things easier for him?

He took a sip and held onto the cup, not even setting it down properly. Now, when did the young man get a chance to get into a fight...? Yesterday? He'd have heard of it, right? If pirates attacked him during or after his visit to the school, the response would be unimaginable. He tried to picture the Royal Guard descending into Hipparcos. He kept his face perfectly neutral, but gods, he hoped the prince simply tripped and fell.

"Why do you want Hannau Cove?" Alberic asked.
Because there's no way they would give it to Adanita, and anyone the Queen picks is bound to ruin everything they are trying to do. "It was simply a matter of convenience."
"And what do you think you can do there?"
"Everything I do wherever I go. Hopefully in a few years, or perhaps a decade, it will shape up into a good, honest place."
"Usually you are more verbose."
"I am not trying to convince some committee that investing into people and land is a good way to spend money. You've seen what I do, you have prevented me on occasion, and you have presumably read through at least a few of the reports from Hipparcos and the rest of Teuta. What else would you like me to say?"
"Nothing, Lord Governor. Nothing at all. I suppose this is a question of which one of you I like more, and whether or not you are worth the hassle of finding someone else to run the place for you. If I put in a good word, and if we consider recent contributions of Captain Vervain to the kingdom, I believe that the title of a Baroness would easily be on the table. I don't see why the Governor should have two cities, and the Pirate Queen is truly the best fit for the city of pirates."

Rosamund clenched his fists. If Adanita becomes a Bretonian noblewoman, it would certainly make it easier for them to interact with the dignitaries of other countries while they work towards the independence of Hannau. But how will her people react to this? This was one time PR needed to be considered, otherwise she will have a rebellion on her hands. He glanced in her direction, trying to read her reaction. She was in deep thought, clearly carefully thinking it through.

But she was relaxed.

"However..." Alberic said, deeply focused on his teacup. "I believe I let you take me for a fool for long enough."

Adanita flinched, but she kept her wits about her. Rosamund calmly met Alberic's gaze as he looked straight at him, staring him down with distaste. So, the prince found something out. It was time to see what it was and how to work around it.

Back to the courtroom days, then. He patiently waited for the prince to speak.

"I do not really care whether or not the two of you are lovers, mind you. It is idle gossip irrelevant to the issue at hand, and the issue is that I am certain the two of you are plotting something. I will find out what it is as I continue my investigation, but I'd like to save me from a few days or weeks worth of work. Which is why I am here now."

Oh, no. Rosamund was not about to fall for this. Nobody in their right mind would come to conspirators instead of continuing investigation, save for one reason. The little princeling, as Lilac called him, wanted to find out what was happening off-record. Alberic wanted to use them. He wanted in.

This was just another time where he could do nothing but let his opponent talk.

"Then how about this? You should tell us what you've learned in the past few days, and we will correct your misconceptions," he said carefully. "Captain Vervain and I barely get along enough to sit down and talk, despite the numerous times she chose to keep me alive. I can't imagine what sort of a conspiracy we could possibly dream up together when our each conversation ends with her offering to duel me again."
"And your brother? I got the distinct impression he wished to challenge me, but after his impassioned speech, I'd assume the two of you are on considerably better terms."
Feeling around for information whether Lilac spoke to him? "We are, yes. I care about him deeply, and we get along far better indeed. If your continued attempts to undermine my status and my work stemmed from misplaced ideas about our relationship, I would be willing to forgive you that." There, the bait was thrown. If Alberic read between the lines correctly, he will start talking now. Adanita was deeply frowning next to him, but he couldn't really take a moment to reassure her. Or- oh, she didn't need it. She shifted in her seat, looking completely at ease.

She trusted him.

"Every negotiation demands the first step..." Alberic mused, staring him down.
The question is only who will take it, Rosamund finished in his mind. Did he really have such an influence on the young prince? The man was almost starting to become endearing.

"Very well. How about you begin by telling me what do you need Mercanti di Morte for?" he directly asked. He continued before shocked Rosamund could say anything. "There are some things that I am willing to tolerate, spats and minor wars between nobility is to be expected, but bringing in foreign assassins into the country is a line you shouldn't be crossing, Lord Governor."

"Excuse me, Lord Governor seems quite confused. I think this question is intended for me sooner than for him," Adanita stepped in. "We do not have any dealings with Mercanti and we never employed them, but occasionally some of their members deflect and find their way to safety in Hannau Cove. My previous spymaster used to be a Mercantessa."
"Really? And what happened to her?"
"Cannon."
"Right. And you are telling me you've never employed a Mletak assassin?"
"I am telling you I don't need an assassin."
"What about your current spymaster?"
"He's in Hannau. His presence wasn't necessary here. I needed someone trustworthy to keep an eye on things there. And no, he is not a Mercanto."

He carefully considered her words before nodding. He winced as he reached into his coat and took some folded papers from his inner pocket. "So, this was an explanation from your side. I am willing to accept it, I can't imagine pirates needing subterfuge to handle their enemies. In which case, no, my question was not intended for you. Lord Governor, what are these?" he asked, tossing the papers on the table in front of him. Rosamund picked them up and took a look.

His mind snapped like a twig.

Next to him, Adanita already recognized the shift. His hands were cold and trembling and he was about to- no! He couldn't afford to lose it now. He couldn't- stay calm. They needed him to. If he breaks now, it was over.

His heartbeat deafeningly loud and his breathing was way too fast. He forced himself to breathe calmly, which only made him more ill. Very slowly, he set the papers down on the table again.

"Alberic," he quietly said. "I will ask you only once, and you should consider your answer and your actions very carefully. Where is Ekliptik?"

"Hm... this is quite a severe reaction, Lord Governor. You should have some tea and calm down first," Alberic said.
"Where are they!?" he shouted. The room was slowly growing darker.
"I left them tied up in one abandoned shack in the city."
"What did you do to them?" Adanita asked.
"What did I- that little nuisance followed me around all day, and when I tried to talk to them, they attacked me. They cut me twice. I only knocked them out, they won't even get a concussion out of this ordeal. Considering their answers to the questions Lord Governor gave them, he is clearly using Mercanti to get some information, and then letting them just wander around wherever they like."

Alive. They were alive.

Breathe.

Rosamund was dizzy, but he managed to pick up his teacup and down it.

"They are a pirate," Adanita said, taking over again as she flipped through the papers. She was really thinking fast, while he was barely able to. "My previous spymaster, the Mercantessa I mentioned, used to have them in their care. Lord Governor decided that piracy is hardly a fitting career for someone their age and employed them as a servant. They are rather unruly and got into trouble several times by going places where they shouldn't. Meanwhile, these are simply answers to the tests pirates were given. They are planned to receive their education separately."
"Right. And this excuses them trying to stab me?"
"They are sensitive. If they feel threatened, they lash out," Rosamund said. "They are curious by nature. They constantly visit me and look at the things I am working on. If you hurt them, turned them over to the guards, or otherwise plan to act against them, you should know that I have a gun with me right now."
"Threatening me? In this manner? I see you really are shaken. Take a minute, Lord Governor, and then we will continue this conversation. I will give you their location and you can go and get them. They requested that I kill them, by the by, which I chose not to entertain. They'd rather have died than told me this, which shows loyalty to the two of you that is both endearing and concerning, considering their age."
"I didn't ask for that," Rosamund quietly said. "I told them not to put themself in danger. Never something like that."
"Right. Rejoice, then. They were in no danger from me. I even checked if they had poisons on them to take the matter into their own hands."
"Did they?" he asked.
"No."

Rosamund exhaled. If they had something like that, he would've attacked Adanita right then and there. But this- this was alright. This was horrible, but not irreparable.

This was his fault.

He let a gods damned teenager run around as they liked. Yes, he didn't want to make himself into an obstacle, he didn't want to forbid them from growing up or something along those lines that he vaguely remembered teenagers would usually tell people.

But this... this was total neglect.

Lilac was free, strong, and looked like a commoner. He sent a servant to him to order him to fetch Ekliptik from that house, before sitting back down with Alberic and Adanita.

"So, I believe that we cleared up this little misunderstanding," he quietly said. "Neither Captain Vervain nor I have anything to do with the Mercanti."
"Yes, I believe you. I will add a conversation with Ekliptik on my list of demands, however. There are some very interesting things they seem to know about, things I could possibly use in the future."
"If they decide they wish to speak to you after this debacle, you may," Adanita said.
"Acceptable, I suppose," he said, waving it off. "Let us get back to the matter at hand. I am growing tired, so I will speak directly. The two of you are colluding, you want the Cove under Lord Governor, although it is acceptable if Captain Vervain gets it, too. You want a Pardon, you will allow merchant ships into your land, you are educating pirates in numerous subjects such as mathe-"

Alberic suddenly shut up.

He leaned back, holding three fingers on his lips, deeply in thought. He had the same pose and expression as the Queen whenever she was dealing with Rosamund.

So, he figured it out.

"Alright," he quietly said. "Alright. I see what you are doing. Alright. This is- I can work with this. Yes... You will be my opportunity. I expect you to cause the greatest scandal this kingdom has ever seen. I will handle my mother. You have my support, Lord Governor. Or- should I be telling this to you, Captain Vervain? No, this insanity can only come from him. If you were this unhinged, there would be no pirates around today. I need some more time to think things through, and then I will see to this. We will speak again. And do not worry, Captain Vervain, I will make sure nobody realizes it too. Not that it would cross anyone's mind, except for me. I know this lunatic too well. Bloody hell..."

Alberic stood up and headed for the door. "Ah, and here you are. Let me guess, you freed yourself? What was I thinking, trying to tie down a sailor..." He marched out, otherwise ignoring Ekliptik on the door.

They were shivering. They looked towards Rosamund slowly, clearly terrified of what they would see.

Gods, he allowed this to happen. He got up slowly, as if he was approaching a wild animal. They were faster than him, if they decide to run that was it.

They allowed him to come close and he realized they were frozen in place. They couldn't run no matter whether or not they wanted to. He slowly raised his hands and pulled them in for a tight hug. He didn't know if it would make things worse, if they would struggle or hate him for it. But he didn't know what else to do. They were too shocked and scared to speak, but they managed to return the hug, trembling in his arms. Adanita placed her hands on their backs, trying her best to calm the two of them down, too.

"It's alright," Rosamund quietly said, finding his voice. "You are safe now."

Ekliptik quietly sobbed.