LVI
Fletcher hadn't actually met a Talumni mercenary until now. He'd researched them at one point, just as a casual interest, but it seemed that his fascination had persisted.
?He made the most of this opportunity by conversing with them, asking them all sorts of questions and writing the answers in his notebook. His language skills were rusty but the burly men had applauded him for trying, humouring his broken grammar.
?Their countries were so different it was hard to believe that they were right next to each other. But the Talumni's culture clearly influenced their values too; they seemed a lot more free-spirited compared to the Khearians, more opinionated. He enjoyed listening to their unsolicited thoughts.
?He assisted them in treating the injured, straining his weak muscles to fetch pails of water from the holy lake. It was a minute's walk away but he reckoned it would heal them faster compared to the muck from a well.
?Knackered, he went to hide behind the inn. The air was warm and he felt sleepy; a nap sounded quite nice.
?He jumped in surprise when he came across Harrison and Riley there. Riley was sitting on the ground with his knees up, leaning against the wall, whilst Harrison stood by him.
?"I told you, nothing happened," Riley was saying. "I'm feeling great."
?"If you tell me you've had enough, we can take you back," Harrison suggested.
?"Drag me away and I will kill myself."
?It didn't seem like Harrison took the threat seriously. "You should've gone into theatre."
?Riley kissed his teeth at the comment and ducked his head, rubbing the back of his neck. Seeing him slumped over; isolation and tiredness bleeding from the air around him; it was unlike the Riley that Fletcher had gotten to know.
?Harrison released a deep breath, thinking.
?"I'll tell King William that he has nothing to worry about," Harrison finally assured him.
?Riley nodded. He stood up, brushing the grass off his legs.
?"I'd appreciate that."
?It was then that both Riley and Harrison noticed Fletcher standing there. They tensed at the sight of him.
?Fletcher was quick to plaster an innocent grin on his face, prancing up to them like he hadn't heard a word. Riley quickly relaxed, despite Fletcher intruding on their space.
?"Riley!" he enthused. "What are you doing over here?"
?Riley smiled at him, even if it seemed a little strained. He ruffled Fletcher's hair, possibly trying to distract him from the question, and Fletcher faux glared at him in response.
?"Riley," Harrison cut in. "Alex will be waiting for you upstairs." It provided Riley with a reasonable escape.
?"Thank you. See you later, Fletch."
?Fletcher waved. "Bye!"
?He stared after him for a moment, trying to consolidate the two different sides of Riley he'd observed in his head. Then, he turned back to Harrison. He lingered awkwardly, wanting to leave, but not having permission.
?"I think I ought to go, too..."
?"Wait a moment," Harrison ordered, deceptively softly. "I want to talk to you."
?Fletcher embraced the anxiety that spiked his pulse. He let it show through his face and body, displaying all his colours like a peacock.
?The corner of Harrison's lip quirked up.
?"As far as the expedition is concerned, you've done the job you came here to do," Harrison said. "There isn't really a need for you to be here anymore. Do you want to go home?"
?Home.
?It would be a lie to pretend that Fletcher didn't miss the stability of his career in Lyechester; the comfort in knowing that he had a warm bed waiting for him at the end of the day.
He missed his family, his students, his responsibilities.
He wanted desperately to find a wife soon and settle down, but. ..
?It felt like he had an opportunity that would only present itself once in history.
?"Truthfully, I know about James," Fletcher stated, nervous that he held information beyond his lowly place. It was the kind of thing he normally should've denied.
?"I see."
?His grip tightened around the notebook in his hand. It felt heavy like each page was weighted in gold, holding a story that no one else had. He was sure Ino had told him about Prince Julian for this reason, she knew his curiosity would force his hand into writing his observations.
?"I want to write about it," he admitted. "This is the kind of thing you hear in myths and legends."
?Harrison didn't seem surprised by that.
?"It's dangerous."
?"Of course, I know that much," Fletcher agreed.
?Harrison smiled. "You're crafty, Fletcher Azeus. Very crafty. You're not nearly as naive as you pretend."
?"I am naive."
?"You just pretend," Harrison hummed.
?Fletcher forced his shoulders to relax, taking a calming breath. All the recent danger had put him on edge. It wasn't something he was used to.
?Harrison had always been very observant. Harrison's comment wasn't necessarily an accusation and there was little point in trying to hide things from him.
?Fletcher's frame was slight, his eyes were large, his face cute. He wasn't an intimidating man— he knew that. If weaponising his unthreatening stature kept him safe in a brutish country like this, that was something he had to do.
?"This society is a survival of the fightest," Fletcher stated. "I'm weak. I don't have the strength to win in that. But if I embrace my weakness, if I exaggerate it, flaunt it, rather than feeling threatened, people protect and shelter me."
?Harrison nodded along, seemingly smug that his assumption was correct. Fletcher envied such a skill.
?"So, yes, I do pretend," Fletcher continued. "But I amstill naive. Call me crafty, but it's just strategy."
?Perhaps some men could argue that Fletcher had indecently feminised himself to achieve such a defence, but it was a strategy that had been encouraged by men themselves. If they hadn't fallen for this feeble presentation, it wouldn't have been the path Fletcher chose.
?"Strategy is also a strength," Harrison contradicted. "People like us are necessary because we don't rely on brutality."
?Fletcher stood there, staring up at the King's advisor, unsure what direction the conversation was headed. Harrison looked expectant, and Fletcher didn't know what he wanted.
?"What's your intention, telling me this?" he asked bluntly, taking a page out from the blunt Talumnis.
?Harrison raised his eyebrows. "Everyone knows you're going to take my place, eventually."
?"I'm lacking," Fletcher asserted. "There's a lot I don't know."
?"And the fact you know that makes you the best candidate there is."
?Fletcher shook his head in denial. He thought he was far too young and inexperienced to get his hopes up. There was nothing more Fletcher would love than to advise the next Drykas monarch, but it wasn't realistic.
?There was a long period of silence which Harrison waited for Fletcher to break. But Fletcher stubbornly refused. Ultimately, Harrison admitted defeat and spoke up first.
?"I'll give you permission to stay."
?Fletcher sighed in relief. "Thank you—"
?Harrison held up a finger. "But, in return, tell me a bit about James."
?"What do you want to know?"
?Harrison shrugged flippantly.
?Fletcher didn't want to talk about James. Although the prince had been a bit mean to him at first, he was actually very thoughtful.
?He felt guilty. Most of the secrets that Fletcher knew were things that James hadn't told him himself. It didn't feel right to take advantage of that.
?"He's... nice," Fletcher put simply, smiling.
?"Nice," Harrison echoed, unsatisfied. "Give me a second word."
?Harrison was an extension of the King that Fletcher was loyal to. It would be too cheeky to not give him something.
?"Nice and... a little obsessive?"
?Harrison nodded, easily accepting the description this time. "And that's not only for Eris, is it?"
?"Only for Eris?" Fletcher blinked. "Oh, he's obsessed with Eris too— yes, I suppose."
?Harrison laughed. It was loud and sudden, startling him. Fletcher attempted to smile along, but he didn't get the joke.
?"Were you thinking about Alex, by any chance?" Harrison asked.
?Fletcher shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "I must admit, I'm not entirely comfortable talking about this."
?"That's okay, that's noble of you." Harrison looked pleased, a little too pleased for Fletcher's liking. He wondered if 'obsessive' had been the wrong word to use. James' eccentricities were obvious even to an outsider and Fletcher hadn't thought the description would cause problems.
?"I was just thinking," Harrison began, smiling to himself.
"I've heard a lot of things about Alexander from Phillip, some I believe, some I don't. One rumour in particular, though, it seems I've confirmed with my own eyes.
" Harrison tapped his neck and Fletcher flushed, averting his gaze.
"Obsessive, though... huh? That's brilliant. Perfect, even."
?Fletcher gathered up his courage despite how uneasy he felt. "I'm not comfortable with this."
?Harrison raised his eyebrows in humour but nodded. "Make sure you document this well, considering this is your new task." He gazed back towards the chaos of men and then gestured in that direction with a nod of his head. "You have my permission to leave, now."
?"Thank you."
?Fletcher scurried away before Harrison could think of another excuse to keep him there.
?Frankly, he didn't think what the others did was any of his business. Even though it didn't seem like Harrison was mocking them, he was thinking of them like tools; balancing their worth by their usefulness.
?It was a way of thinking Fletcher normally respected. An advisor couldn't do their job if they sympathised with every single person's humanity.
?But, it didn't feel so right when it was about his friends.
? ? ? ?
"You're not coming with us," James snapped.
?Amidst the knights' meeting, Fletcher had barged in, insisting on being included. It would've been comical if not for the seriousness of the situation.
?Fletcher planted his feet into the ground, stubborn like a mule.
?"I can be helpful."
?James wasn't having any of it.
?He strolled across the room, shrugging Thomas off after the knight made a weak effort to stop him. Clasping Fletcher by his shoulders, the smaller man flinched and he dragged him towards the window, forcing him to look outside by grabbing his jaw.
?"You see that?" he said. "You see all those people? That man down there, the one with the sling, he'll probably lose that arm. His flesh is dying, despite the treatment."
?Fletcher tried to squirm away, but James tightened his grip, his fingers digging into the scholar's bony arm and his thin cheeks.
?"Do you see it?" he repeated, louder, harsher.
?"I know it's dangerous!" he yelled. "I know that!"
?James gave him a little push and the scholar nearly tripped over his own feet, rubbing one of his sore shoulders with a pained glare.
?"Be gentle with him," Thomas hissed, rushing to Fletcher's side protectively.
?James laughed incredulously and then pointed at the knight like it proved a point. "You're delicate, Fletcher. Those men outside had skill, you don't. If you know what's good for you, you'll go home."
?Fletcher snorted in anger and turned his defiant scowl Alex and Riley's way, seeking backup. Riley seemed hesitant to offer an opinion whilst Alex shook his head.
?"He's right," Alex agreed. "You should go home."
?"It's ultimately my decision," Fletcher stressed. "Harrison has given me permission, and his orders overwrite yours."
?"That may be so, but I have to advise you on how stupid this is."
?"Consider me advised."
?James laughed again, borderline maniacly. "Sending children to war. How fucking tasteful of Harrison."
?"We're nearly the same age, James. And I'm sure all of you will protect me."
?James snorted. "They'll certainly die trying. How good are you at living with guilt, kid?"
?"That's enough." Alex's voice was gentle, like he was trying to soothe the agitated and anxious animals in the room. "He can ultimately do what he wants. Let's not make this harder."
?"I'll prove my worth and I'll carry my weight," Fletcher insisted. "I want to do this."
?It wasn't that James was undervaluing Fletcher's skillset, he just didn't find it appropriate.
Fletcher was smart, probably smarter than all of them in a lot of ways, but the moment they were attacked, he'd become deadweight and burdensome.
Fletcher was only thinking of his own physical safety, he wasn't considering the possibility that the knights may get hurt because of him too.
?If the decision had been up to James, he would've kept Fletcher on the sidelines; available but safe.
?"What a mess," Riley muttered. And James was inclined to agree. Since it was Harrison's order, there was nothing any of them could do.
?"That's that, then," Alex concluded.
?Perhaps it was an attempt to console him, but both Riley and Thomas were sharing concerned and pained looks his way. James wanted to roll his eyes, but at least he wasn't the only one who found the situation concerning.
?Fletcher did his best to puff out his chest and look big. "In fact, I already have an idea."
?"He's got an idea, guys," James muttered, trying to curb the urge to tear his hair out.
?Fletcher ignored him and pulled out the piece of paper listing the names Harrison had specified. He walked up to Alex and handed it over.
?"What do these three widows have in common?"
?James bit his lip against a snide remark.
?"What?" Alex asked, not in the mood for riddles.
?"They're all socially active. And I know where they'll be in two days' time," Fletcher sang.
?"Convenient," James remarked, unable to stop himself. "Did Harrison tell you that before or after you sucked his dick?"
?Thomas smacked him and James grabbed his hand whilst it was in motion, jabbing his thumb into the pressure point. Thomas yelped in pain, shoving him away.
?Riley chuckled, unphased by the violence. "You're one to talk."
?"Fucking shut up, all of you!" Alex snapped. "I am going to throttle the next person who makes a snarky comment thinking they're oh so very clever. Is that clear?"
?James frowned. Strangulation was a pretty intimate thing; he would probably consider it an act of infidelity if Alex did that to someone.
?The others clamped their mouths shut, bringing a wave of silence amongst the turmoil. James forcibly deflated, begrudgingly shoving his anger away. Fletcher had made his decision, regrettably so, and making a fuss would impact Alex the most.
?He let it go but he kept a grudge.
?Alex curtly nodded, accepting their defeat. "Now, where will they be?"
?"There's a horse race and jousting event in Hitchleigh."
?"And why would three Ankaid-affiliated widows be there?" Alex asked, patience thin.
?"Because it's a hub for safe gambling. Widows love betting on horses."
?"So, we're running off an unfounded assumption that they'll be there because 'widows like horses'?" Riley condescended witheringly. Then, he paused. "Hold on, Hitchleigh?"
?James observed Riley's interest.
?"I mean, does anyone else have a better idea?" Fletcher looked around, letting the silence speak for itself. Truthfully, it wasn't a bad plan.
?Alex regarded Riley, suspicious in his sudden change of mood. "Why are you so pleased?"
?Riley smiled pleasantly and blandly.
?James sighed. "He thinks Duke Stratton will show up."
?"He will though," Riley insisted. "It's a massive event in a Theos region. He's the Theos duke. His daughter, my cousin, Mererid, loves horses. He will be the one to open it."
?"You can't get distracted from what we're there for," Alex warned him.
?"You said you'd help me," Riley stated, an edge chopping his tone, becoming accusatory. "You found nothing in the criminal archive. The least you can do is give me an opportunity."
?James winced. The iciness sharpening Riley's words reminded him of Prince Maurice. It seemed to have startled Fletcher also.
?"If Fletcher is right," James posed hypothetically, shaking off the unpleasantness. "And we get their testimony; that would be enough evidence to convince the Royal Council to support King William's bid to overthrow King Fabian by force. We could do this in a matter of weeks."
?It was in James' best interest if this was achieved quickly, even if that meant they were sloppy about it.
?"And don't forget your testimony too, Prince Julian," Alex helpfully reminded him. "Your existence will be the sharpest arrow in our arsenal."
?James smiled, doing his best to ignore the way his gut mangled itself up into painful knots.
?Riley stared at James, knowing his plan, and James looked back uneasily. There was something shared in the undercurrent, a mutual understanding, a mutual sympathy. And Riley said nothing— absolutely nothing about James' eventual betrayal, even though he knew.
?James didn't know if he liked or hated Riley for it.
?Despite the guilt, he could feel Eris' excitement. Soon, it would be just the two of them again, trusting only each other like how they were supposed to. James would be able to forget all of this had ever happened and go back to his old life.
?Alex would be fine. Harrison had acknowledged him.
?James suddenly wanted to laugh bitterly at the thought. Who did he think he was fooling? Certainly not himself. Duke Chamberlain wouldn't let Alex live that easily, even with Harrison's support. He'd be fucked without Prince Julian.
?It would also undo all the labour James had put into gradually twisting the string of Alex tightly around his finger, spinning it slowly so that the man wouldn't notice. He'd come this far already.
?James thumbed Eris.
?Eris liked Alex, too...
?"We'll do that, then," Alex decided. "Good job, Fletcher."
?Fletcher stood proudly, feet together. "I told you, didn't I? I can carry my weight."
?James emotionlessly observed Fletcher celebrate with a detached body, his eyes seeing, but his mind obsessing over something else. He replayed a scenario in his head over and over again, his gaze subconsciously drifting to Alex's face, stalking each movement.
?Eris wouldn't mind.