Spies, Thieves, and Revolutionaries

Chapter 8

After putting Evette to bed in one of the inn's rooms, Dinah had gone downstairs for a cup of tea and a chat with Rimmon. She had asked Walter to give them some privacy, but she had no doubts he would be eavesdropping nearby.

She sat at one of the tables, and ordered a mug of herbal tea. After a little, Rimmon came over and sat next to her, ordering the same.

He gave her a friendly smile. "So, where do you hail from?"

Dinah studied him over the rim of her mug. "I come from one of the southern tribes."

"Was the man you were with your husband?" He asked.

Dinah shook her head. "He is just a traveling companion. And before you ask, Evette is not my daughter."

Rimmon's pale skin flushed a light pink. He looked like he was about to ask another question, but Dinah beat him to it.

"How did you end up here, in this town?"

"I was brought here when I was a child, by a family friend. It wasn't safe for me in my old home, so I began a life here," he replied casually.

Dinah raised an eyebrow. She had expected him to lie, say something to contradict the stories, but instead he just told the truth. Not the full truth, of course, but not a single lie. She'll have to tell Walter later.

"What's your business here?" Rimmon nervously tugged on some of his hair.

Dinah sipped some of her tea, and said softly, "I came here because I have no where else. The entire tribe of Calacattah was incinerated, as per the King's command. We never did anything to antagonize him, but he still killed us," Dinah sipped some more of her tea, watching Rimmon's uneasy expression, like he wasn't sure whether he should offer words of comfort or not.

"I came here looking for a certain individual, one who could change this entire empire. And I believe I've found him, Your Highness."

Rimmon blinked once, then stared at her. "What?"

Dinah stared right back at him. What did he mean, what?  "I want you to help me with my revolution," she said slowly "You are the prince, right?"

Rimmon was still staring, eyes wide, "You must have the wrong person. I'm not royalty."

Dinah would've thought he was lying, but the obvious confusion in his eyes said otherwise. Had his great aunt kept this from him? Was he not aware of his actual parentage? Or maybe he was the wrong person. After all, this was a big kingdom. But no, Dinah refused to think that, after all this searching, this was a dead end. Besides, he fit the description perfectly.

"Oh, well um, I'm really not the person who should be telling you this, but you're King Charles's nephew, the prince of the Taris empire," Dinah tried again.

Rimmon shook his head, and started nervously twiddling with his fingers, "It can't be," He whispered.

Dinah debated whether to let him soak in this information first, and talk to him later, or to go all out now. But right now he might be more open to new ideas, it would be easier to make him agree when he was vulnerable.

"Oh, but it is," Dinah said, moving a little closer, "And the empire is suffering. You have to help. Are you really willing to give your uncle the free reign over all these innocent people, while you just stand and watch? You have the perfect opportunity to fix this, how can you bear to just sit there?"

Rimmon was shaking a little, his lips pressed firmly together, with something that looked like panic in his eyes. He shook his head so firmly Dinah feared it would fall off. "I can't, I..I just can't," he whispered.