Shaun
The welcoming banquet started at night in the warm throne room of the castle, that was filled with Cairian nobles. Men in robes or tunics of varying elegant styles, and women in dresses of foreign grace.
They eat, drank and danced quick steps on the marbled floor, under the fire light burning in lamps on the walls and glassy chandeliers hanging from the high vaulted ceiling- It all made a million sound fill the hall, and the heart thump for the banquet.
Cairians strange-simple olden tastes, one of the reasons Wallers calls them barbarians. If it was a banquets in Fortwall they did dance in the moon light, with Striks singers singing their magical songs, and food served orderly to seated guest around tables.
Here was a different world, Shaun studied. Seated at a table at a corner at the other end of the room from the entrance, nursing a drink from his cup.
He looked on in amazement how the Cairians seemed to love the banquet. Boisterous lots. They shout and eat and roar in laughter in their groups. Whilst horrible loud song spread across the banquet, sung by fat men at a corner, their voices like a chocking dead man's, the song like an old woman's tale- it all seemed surreal.
But they served roasted turkey and chicken in fulls here though, they do not care about courtesy in eating, or of the royal siblings of Fortwall's fight for the throne or what lord Ryder Waller said at court, best they left Shaun all alone to enjoy his company.
He cut a chicken lap from a passing server, bit on it. While an elegant fair skinned woman across the hall, in a crimson long dress went about stealing jewelries. He found it intriguing. He watched. She took an old man's ring, dropped it into her hand bag and approached smiling sweetly. "Prince Michael?" She questioned. Her big eyes on him.
"A poor copy." Shaun replied, not caring. Everyone thinks he's Michael usually, till their see Michael. Because they are the same height, and both lean. The mistake he's used to.
"Really?" She came closer, fingered him on the neck. "You don't look all that poor."
Shaun picked his ale cup from the table, took a sip, then slowly pulled her hand away. "You will find stealing from a Waller difficult." He told her.
She paused, gave him a wary look, smiled then moved and sat opposite him with the table between them. She lolled back on her sit. "I stole from the other one." She pointed and motioned at Timothy that idled across the room with her head.
"That one is different." Shaun replied. Timothy was always stupid. "Never could hold a Wall."
"I never could too," she said, "but I don't have a Wall in my name, he's a Waller no changing that." Shaun had no choice but to nod in agreement. She went on. "They was never a person that caught me stealing before.... I am Aurora my lord." She gave a shallow a bow.
Shaun found it curious. "Why tell me?" He asked.
"Honor among thieves." She replied. He wanted to tell he was no thief, and honor is not for a Waller, but was caught off.
"Michael Waller, third prince of Fortwall,the war prince." An eunuch sang Michael's entrance.
Shaun looked at the front door to see the laughing green eyes, slender face,and short red hair of Michael as he strode in tall, catching the hall's attention. His figure straight as an arrow in a black fashionable tunic and black trousers. He glanced around the room as if searching.
Aurora rose to her feet immediately, yet with the grace of a cat. "Since I am getting nothing from you I might as well leave." She said with a coy smile. Shaun was starting to like her.
She walked to him, trailed her hand over his body as she went and took off his neck lace while she was at it. He caught her hand as she attempted to walk passed, looked up at her face. "Drop it." He said.
She groaned childishly and tossed it to him. He caught it in thought. Suddenly struck with an urge to help her. "Aurora." He called. She turned, curiosity on her face. "Don't steal from Michael, he will catch you."
The thief shrugged and smiled cockily. "I like the hard ones." She said. "And you really are a poor copy..." She sneered right after. For the first time in a long time Shaun did not know how to react. He opened his mouth and closed it without words. So he just nodded and shook his head, drank his wine. As the woman sauntered crossed the hall to his brother.
On her way, several young lords and knights stopped her to talk. She looked frustrated at first, but calmed as she stole from them. Shaun did not know weather to laugh or cry as she stole a dagger sheathed on the belt, from a knight. Shaun had seen different thieves in his live, no one as good as Aurora.
Michael went to a table where the wine is poured from, started mixing different wines in his glass with natural nonchalance. Timothy made his way towards Shaun. Shaun had told him before the banquet he should come to him when Michael comes to deal with Michael. Timothy is selfish, arrogant and forgetful. He most really hate their brother to remember, Shaun thought.
Shaun glanced at Michael several times, their eyes met once and Shaun desperately tried not to look different to him, not to make him notice he plans to harm him. He had never hated Michael, what he had to do was pure duty to him. It was Michael's fault for playing the wrong side. Every man with ears in the empire, knows a popular saying, and every wise one knows there is a certain truth in it. The saying goes,whatever you do, however you pray,the Queenwitch always wins. And this time she still plan on winning.
Saark came beside Michael. The Prince did not even raise his head from the table and the wine when he spoke. "You must be forced to speak to me Saark," he said, "I know how annoying you find me." Shaun could hear any one in the hall with his good ears. He listened.
Saark scoffed. "Then make it easy on me." he retorted.
Michael finished making his drink, turned to the knight, took a sip. "What do you want?" He asked.
"Just to watch you, show you around..."
Why Michael is in trouble, is all politics and power play. Cairia and Fortwall Kingdoms have more able war men than any in Adaki empire. That was not a problem as the two giants have been in war,dated far before the empire was formed. Small skirmishes no doubt, but it increased in the years,and fiercer in the last decade.
But now the war is stopping once the third prince of Fortwall weds the princess of Cairia. Normally it wont be a problem,just another day the wind blows from a different direction in court. but Fortwall has a disconcerting tradition, of crowning the next king or queen based on achievement and popularity. Not a child nor a cripple, everyone has a chance as far as they are a prince or princes.
Michael has those, achievements. Since he returned after being kidnapped when he was eight, when their father refused to pay the ransom, he had been ahead of all. They said sir Lance of the queen'sguard had saved him and trained him, most be the reason he returned with his fighting skills one of the best in Fortwall, that gave him tremendous achievements in the war. It was only his foul reputation as the whore prince that kept a certainty he's the next king.
If he marries the most peerless woman in the north,he gains a small say in Cairia and hundredth in Fortwall, that could make him king. Worst Cairia is full of uncertainty. The crown prince Gard is said unfit to rule, said by the king himself, and wise men predicts Khaln is the future queen of Cairia. If that happens between Michael and Khaln in the future, one one has the possibility to become the second most powerful person in the Empire, holding half the strength of the empire and the queenwitch the second.
The Queenwitch would not allow it. There came Shaun's place in the grand scheme of things, as one of the Curtains- the Queenwitches' military order of spies and assassins- to stop the marriage at all cost. Without death to the prince or princess. That's what he planned to do.
Timothy came. "You called." He said, a deep scowl to him. Shaun looked around and stealthily took out a white pill from his coat, handed it to his brother. Timothy received it openly. The pill is an aphrodisiac, Shaun got from Harp. The old Gurst can make lots of evil pills,it was the price that keeps him from the shop.
Afterward Shaun carefully checked if Michael noticed, but the man was speaking to Saark while Aurora stood back in the crowd waiting, watching Saark with just a little wariness in her eyes.
He turned back to Timothy that was stupidly fingering the pill. "Hide it." He said. Timothy scoffed and closed it in his palm. "Drop it in wine, Rotan wine preferably, his favorite."
Timothy scoffed. "I know what to do." He said. "Leave it to me, I know Michael better than you do." And set off. Shaun highly doubted that, he sighed softly and took his eyes back to Michael across the room.
Saark was introducing him around. To a young woman in a long blue dress and curly hair said to be lady Navit some lords daughter, Lord Woka and his son both fat and round, lady Sharon a fair skin woman in a green dress said to be a merchant from Rota, even sir Worlk the skinny dark skinned old knight with spots on his face. The man that almost killed Michael five years past.
Finally over Saark went away to some chubby woman in a yellow dress, his wife. Michael was alone he went towards the knights that gathered themselves at a table, two arm wrestling. It was Sir Dame and Sir Jarimi that were going at it, the two Cairian knights that grew popular as of late. Dame a man skin as dark a coal, bulky and tall, while sir Jill was slender and shorter.
Michael stood beside the table cheering for the bigger man, and soon Dame got defeated by the smaller. Michael tapped the man on the shoulder eyes glittering. "Size don't matter," he said, "I know that,I have seen it a thousand times. You would rise to glory my friend." That earn him laughter's from the Cairians with strange humour,he laughed too before crossing his hands across his chest. Another knight replaced sir Dame to go against the victor.
Timothy got a drink at the other side of the room, dropped the pill in it, the thing dissolved instantly. That was when Aurora came beside Michael watching the two knights struggle and strain. Michael glanced at her then back to the table. "Why don't you try." She suggested with a Persa accent.
It took some time before Michael realised she was talking to him. He looked at her, eyes glittering, a small playful smile on his lips. "Why should I?" He asked.
She turned to him with some contempt. "Women loves a hero," she replied. "You should know that, Prince."
"Even an enemy one?" The war prince questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"I thought we are at peace...." Aurora said. "Why shouldn't you?" Michael shrugged. Timothy came then and casually handed him a drink and quickly left. Distracted by the attractive woman, Michael did not pay attention like he usually does, he chugged down the wine quickly, and dropped it on a passing server's tray.
"Nobody likes losing in their home...." he told Aurora. "And who are you, such elegant lady, with a refreshing grace."
Aurora laughed at the flattery. "Selena breeze." She replied. "A merchant's daughter."
Michael furrowed his brows. "Selena...." He muttered in thought.
Aurora frowned, her wariness creeping. "Is a name." She claimed.
"A beautiful one," Michael agreed. "But not a Persa one."
"My father named me after a Cairian witch he used to know." Aurora replied, gauging Michael's reaction. "You are very knowledgeable my lord...."
Shaun was just relived Michael did not notice. Not surprising as when he had asked Harp if it could be noticed. The grey skinned bended man,with long arms that he draped on his table, body as hairless as an egg, with three eyes,on his round head watching Shaun replied with confidence. "It smells nothing." The Gurst claimed. "A wolf wouldn't know it was on its nose of it weighs nothing, and it could drank from water.... but who would want to drug a wolf with aphrodisiac I wonder?"
Shaun had replied. "Nobody."
Michael had another drink at some time and the banquet went on with Aurora never getting close enough to steal from Michael. The man was behaving, not wanting to destroy his marriage by being with another woman in the banquet. There was no noticeably difference in him except he did not move for sometime. Till he glanced at Shaun and their eyes met, that Shaun saw his eyes were red.
Aurora touched him then, on the arm, he gritted his teeth as he supported himself with a hand on the table, to prevent himself from falling- the pill was working. The woman pretended to support him, that was when the she slipped out the old golden ring from Michael's index finger.
Michael noticed, he pushed her away, rose, and trudged towards the door. Leaving mocking laughs behind from the Cairians that have been watching. "He couldn't even take three drinks and he calls himself a war prince." A man said.
"Hold him he might fall." Another mocked with a smirk.
"Fortwall are weaklings gods." An old lord spat,shaking his head.
Shaun felt a sudden cold splash of sadness and guilt. He had done that. No matter what Michael was never supposed to be humiliated, it could be said he is the pride of Fortwall. The Cairian knight that have been angry at Michael since but too wary to approach, approached now, blocking the door. Three of them burly and impressive their golden full plates gleaming. Saark, sir Dame, Sir Worlk and the others did not raise a hand to stop them.
Michael came to a stop before them, unsteadily on his feet. "Move." He demanded.
One of the knights laughed and stepped forward. "We don't want a fight," he claimed, "how about we have a drink like real men what do you say princess?" The hall exploded in guffaws.
It happened fast even for Shaun. Michael swung a punch to the man's jaw, sending the man straight to the ground, with a thud. The others quickly reached for their swords, but Michael moved faster. To one, stooped down and caught the Knight's hand that was pulling the blade with both his hands. And pushed the blade back in. Sheathing the sword with the swiftness of a killer.
The other's sword was already out, he swung. Michael did not let go of the one he held, he moved man to the arc, making the sword clash on plate armor. Then pushed hard, making the two fall to the ground, with grunts, one atop the other. And stumbled unstopped into the row of arches leading outside.
Shaun rose to his feet immediately, moved towards the door out with big strides. That was not the plan, what had just happened. The plan was for Michael to mount a woman forcefully- like a horse mounts a mare- in the middle of the banquet, leaving no doubt what he did.
Harp promised that. He had said. "The aphrodisiac is silent,it never gets noticed till it works,and when it does one becomes a beast,with no care of modesty or location. He can mount a man if that's what he sees".
The plan was after Michael does that, Fortwall will blame Cairia for the drugs, and Cairia will blame Fortwall for the insolence of raping or trying to rape a lady. Everything is already tense between the two kingdoms and the war would start again. Even if it does not, Prince Michael would never marry the princes, that is for sure. But now the prospect is getting away from Shaun and he moved to set it back right.
He stormed outside to the half moon night, staggering to a stop, whipping his head around, searching. Michael was no where to be found. Only Sophie was across the courtyard. The maid stood silent there watching him. He had always hated her, and her him. It was the way she looks at him that irked, a look like she could see his soul.
He went to her. "Where is he?" He asked.
Sophie cocked her head looked him up to down. "Oh," she said with a smile. "I forgot."
Shaun gritted his teeth took a deep breath and thought. Michael in his state would have been jumping on the woman if he saw her. That only means he went elsewhere, not towards the guest courters but the other high tower were the phoenix went earlier. He closed his eyes and searched the direction with his senses, and sure enough Michael was there, still walking.
Shaun turned and started leaving, noticing uncomfortable that the distasteful maid was following him, feet to feet. He stopped, she stopped. He looked her once over his shoulder and sprinted, running through alleys, corners hearing her behind. He went through twisted turns and narrow ways, loosed her, but just as he came out of a portcullis he felt a gaze beside. He drew away from it, sent a punch. An invincible hand caught it.
The air shimmered where the person stood and Sir Drill revealed himself. Tall and lean, his grey skin in an over coat a hat on his head.
Shaun let a relieved sigh. "For a moment I thought it was that strange maid." He blurted.
Sir Drill is the sixth of the queen'sguards. A queen'sguard is the highest ranking Red knight- the queenwitch knight. Nine of them, same numbers as the realms of the empire. All with different skills, this one is an assassin and a detective.
"Never seen you this shaken about a maid before," the queen'sguard said, "love no doubt, but this no time for that. Forget chasing your little brother... Follow me... Worst things have surfaced." He turned and started walking.
"What?" Shaun asked helpless. The queen'sguard stopped. "I have a fucking mission."
Sir Drill whirled, closed the distance in an instant, slammed Shaun to the wall and made a cut on the arm with a dagger, before Shaun could react. Shaun stood still till the man drew back. "You fucker what was that for?" He demanded in a leveled voice.
"A test," sir Drill replied. "Really come with me... With what I saw, your brother is dammed anyway.... You and I have better things to do with the others..." The man resumed his walk.
"The others?" Shaun asked.
"You will see."
Shaun had no other choice but to follow.