The Mortal And The Wicked-- ONC 2023

Chapter 12; A lie of love and other matters

The game began at midnight in the form of a spectacle; something grandiose and dramatic that would reveal a single clue that would lead to the whereabouts of three keys.

From there, it would be the responsibilities of the lovers, both living and dead, to decipher such a clue throughout the night, and once such keys were discovered they would be granted a most wonderous prize indeed.

A life together once more.

All this was revealed to Lucy and the Baron by Oz when he at last emerged from the tent of the carnival master, and having told the Cat that they had never once played the game before he spoke to them at length about the nature of it.

"Are there any rules?" Lucy asked.

"Perhaps not in the sense that many think of as being 'rules.' You've heard the carnival master; death and injury are not beneath the morals of infliction here. Yet there is one rule having gone unspoken; you will be unable to win such a game without an ounce of wit." Oz's whiskers twitched then, "The carnival master despises dullness, and you shall have to think in ways that many others might not. You must be far more clever than they are. That, then, is the rule."

"The carnival master likes the intelligent then?"

She saw Oz roll his eyes. "He likes it when there are those smarter than himself. Which is, admittedly, most people. Nevertheless, Azrael is quite creative in hiding the keys throughout the carnival. You shall simply need to outwit him at his own challenge.

"Master the rules of the game until you can play it better than they can." the Baron offered suddenly, having stood in complete silence nearly the entire time till Lucy had almost forgotten he was there.

Oz nodded, and that appeared to be the end of their conversation.

Thus, they thanked the Cat and took their leave, walking once more past the bright tents and into a night of jovial music and laughter. And though Lucy was entirely aware that the night had taken a far more serious turn, the spectacles of the people and creatures around her still drew her in with their same sense of wonder.

For within the crowds there were creatures like Mabel and Oz; large animals that stood upon two hind legs, each of them dressed in bright motley devoted to an act which they performed upon the onyx laden paths.

Some played instruments, filling the air with a merry tune. Some ate blue fire, spitting it back out in a torrent of roaring flames. And still others did numerous acrobatic tricks, jumping and flipping over one another whilst the crowds cheered and applauded in awe.

All this Lucy watched with that same sense of wonder she had felt at the beginning of the night, the idea of the carnival master and his game nearly forgotten light of a fox that could juggle numerous objects in its front paws.

"What do you suppose they are?" she asked. "The animals, I mean. They're unlike anything I've ever thought possible."

Yet the Baron only offered up a vague shrug as an answer, springing back slightly as a wolf rolled in a tumble directly across the path in front of him before it sprang up upon its back legs once more. "Perhaps they're creatures from another world."

"Or creations of the god who made such a carnival. Perhaps they are as trapped here as we are."

It was a dreadful thought indeed and not one either of them wished to linger upon. And yet just as quickly as the wonder of the carnival had enchanted her, the reminder that it too was a prison laced with magic. A nightmare wrapped in a fairytale.

And yet the crowds of people like themselves seemed to have forgotten about it all.

For beyond the creatures, there milled various people like themselves; lovers whose hands were clasped tightly with one another, a few stealing kisses every now and again, eyes and hearts dreamy in the glow of passion. Heedless of the nature of the carnival itself as they were lost in one another.

It filled Lucy with a sense of strangeness, and indeed as she glanced at the Baron in the midst of passing by a particularly enthusiastic pairing, she saw an unreadable expression cross his features.

Nevertheless, the further they walked into the carnival, the more she felt as though they were out of place, masquerading as lovers, walking with a foot of distance between them. Silent save for the odd comment here and there. Their expressions guarded.

Indeed, the Baron must have taken note of this as well, for as the couples around them grew in number Lucy felt him take hold of her hand.

Pulling back, she dropped her voice to a low hiss. "What do you think you're doing?"

The Baron's face flushed a deep crimson, yet he still held her smoldering gaze as he replied. "You heard Oz, we must play the game better than everyone else. This is a game fit only for lovers that truly care for one another-- how are they going to believe such a thing when we act as though we hardly know one another?"

"We don't know one another."

"Yes, of course. Yet you heard the carnival master as well as I-- this is a carnival for lovers. It might be wise to play the part in the game."

"You wish to lie?"

"I like the idea as much as you do. Yet I believe you set the precedent for falsehood when you claimed to love me in front of the carnival master."

"Don't begin blaming matters on me!"

For the first time since she had known the man, the anxious demeanor he held appeared to ebb away as a look of frustration crossed his features. "I'm not, I-- Look, I suppose it doesn't matter, does it? The matter has been laid out before us; I think it would be wise to keep such a façade. Less questions would be involved."

Lucy thought of this for a moment before nodding somewhat reluctantly. "Very well. I don't much like the idea but surely we can pretend for a night, Baron."

There was a pause. Then, in a voice so soft it was scarcely heard above the noise of the carnival, she heard him mutter, "You may call me Edward."

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