Butterfly Reign

7. I'll Be Waiting For An Answer

The guests started arriving at the palace, and Tommy never has been as busy.

Summer Solstice is one of the biggest events of the entire year. Annually, apart from nobles in the Empire itself, delegations from neighboring countries are invited to take part in the celebrations, including a few royals. With all the advisors, secretaries, servants and other close subordinates, the number of people in each court can go up to half a hundred individuals. Needless to say, trying to fit this crowd into the palace without accidentally offending someone or causing any discomfort is a huge headache for Tommy – he almost went mad trying to assign chambers for Queen Niki’s ladies-in-waiting. 

One of these days, Tommy works in his office, when a secretary comes bowing and puts something on his desk. Dimply, his gaze focuses on a white envelope. It smells of roses, and the handwriting is too familiar for him not to recognize, all neat lines and an occasional tiny swirl. Before Tommy knows it, he is already opening the envelope and carefully pulling out the letter inside. 

I’ll be home tomorrow.

One line, four words, but to Tommy, they feel like everything. Techno’s coming, Techno will be home , his mind cheers. He feels like bouncing back and forth on his feet from excitement, until he remembers where he is, and that the secretary’s eyes are still on him. Tommy presses his lips into a thin line. “Thank you for delivering me the pleasant news.”

Hours have been ticking by very slowly since then. Suddenly all these months Tommy and Techno spent apart turn into nothing in comparison with a single day. Fortunately, or not-so, the crown-prince has too much work to think about often. Even to his walk in the gardens the next noon, Tommy brings a pile of documents. In the end, all his efforts are in vain, because no matter how much he stares at them, pinned to a bench with random stones he found in the grass, the words continue to dance around the page and don’t make any sense to his fog-clogged brain. 

Five minutes , Tommy thinks, rubbing his eyelids. I can allow myself a quick break. 

If Tommy sat down, he would probably end up falling asleep for good, so he finds a tree to lean against instead. Closing his eyes and throwing his head back, he relishes in the feeling of sunlight gently brushing his skin.  

He doesn’t get to enjoy his rest for more than a minute when his instincts suddenly burst screaming that something is wrong. Tommy’s eyes snap back open and scan the area in search of what could’ve set off his senses. A bee lazily buzzes by, and a dry leaf crunches in his hands as he squeezes it subconsciously - but other than that, it’s quiet. Too quiet. 

Tommy leaps away from the tree. He doesn’t make it a foot away before a strong arm pins him to someone’s chest, and something cold pressed to his throat . A dagger, Tommy breath hitches. 

Everything that comes next Tommy does on pure instinct. He grabs at the hand holding the blade and jerks it abruptly with all the force he can muster. The arm slips away as he twists his way around the hold. Tommy tries to pin the attacker’s arm to their back, but is swiped along when they duck into a roll. 

The knife glints sharply past him. Tommy, still flying forward, grabs at his own belt. Colors burst in front of his eyes as they land, and he blindly throws his weapon forward. 

A strong hand grabs his wrist. When Tommy can finally see clearly, he finds himself on the ground, the knife in his hands inches away from the attacker’s throat. His breathing is heavy; adrenaline kicks in lately, burning his veins and speeding up his heart uselessly while the other person’s chest rises and falls in an even, calm rhythm. With the attacker’s face so close to his own, Tommy can see each minuscule feature despite the long shadow of a hood – and what he sees is not aggression, not fear, but a bizarre combination of curiosity and boredom, an expression that only one person in the world could bear.