The Royal Thief

Chapter Thirty-nine: Overheard

Physical contact wasn't something I enjoyed or sought out. Cara had learned long ago that I did not appreciate being leaned on or nudged and certainly not tickled, and Sam knew better than to hug me without a very good reason. 

But of course this was different. It wasn't casual and it didn't feel unnecessary, and the last thing it reminded me of was my adopted brother. So I wrapped my arms around his neck, breathing in the faint smell of tallow soap and lemony sage, and kissed him back.

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"I have something that may be of interest to you."

"In what way?"

"Regarding the Thief."

Of course. Didn't everything that happened these days involve me? I was almost laughing at how perfectly this had turned out. 

On my way to dinner I had just so happened to notice Joshua walking, head down, away from the guards' mess hall, exactly the way someone who would rather go unnoticed would stride quickly through the corridors and towards the royal wing. Now, I had wondered, what kind of business could dear Captain Joshua have there? Reflecting that I wasn't very hungry, and going to diner would require sitting next to Cara as she tried to drag out what had happened with Jason, I decided to find out now and eat later.

Perhaps I should have given him the benefit of the doubt. After all, he was Jason's friend, or so it seemed from how they were talking earlier. And I would need to get used to dealing with Jason's friends, I thought, smiling a little.

But I'm glad I didn't, because following Joshua brought me back, for the second time that day, to the Sage's office.

I leaned against the wall and crossed my arms, waiting for him to continue talking inside. Oh, the things you learn by eavesdropping... maybe I would even pick up something more on what Nick had overheard about their plans on the night of the ball.

"I believe that Jason intends to-- court her." When there was no response, he added with an edge of annoyance, "Jason. The younger Laycreek."

"Oh." Tobias's tone was dismissive, then suddenly I heard the clink of something being put down on the desk. A glass of wine, maybe, or, knowing the Sage, more likely a pot of ink, the accompanying thwap of a sheet of parchment barely audible. "Oh," He repeated, more attentive, but said nothing else.

A slight clicking sound, probably Joshua, irritated, tapping his fingers on his sword hilt. "We did not plan for this complication."

"Complication?" Tobias laughed softly. "This, Captain, is a good thing."

"How the hell is this good for us? We need to find a way to stop it!"

"You're being idiotically short-sighted. This is a good thing, and I will explain why. Starting with why we must embrace it as a good thing-- because whatever we do, we cannot afford to stop it."

"So explain."

Yes. Do explain why exactly you think you have any say in my life, oh great and powerful Sage...

"Because how on earth would we? If we get involved with this in any way, we will not only have to offer some sort of explanation to Lord Jason, but deal with Morane's suspicion at a time when it's the very last thing we need."

"It wouldn't be as hard as all that. All it takes is making sure he is reassigned somewhere outside of the Capital. The border with Englescroft, perhaps. Lord knows there's always enough to do there."

The border with Englescroft? Where-- the river checkpoints where traders traveling to our coast were taxed? That wouldn't be so bad, but odds were knights weren't needed there. No, Joshua meant the snarled strands of forest where robbers lay in wait, or the military forts where parts of the army were stationed at all times, watching and waiting for a notoriously hostile country to decide once again that peace was unnecessary. 

"You would wish that on your friend?" Tobias's voice made it unnecessary to see into the office. I knew that tone, and the expression that went with it-- a raised eyebrow, a cool, barely surprised glance.

"I don't mean ship him off to be killed! Give him a command somewhere with just enough trouble to warrant intention and a command force experienced enough that it won't be too much work for him. No one would question the wisdom of training him for a border command. People have been expecting it for years."

Once more dismissive, Tobias said, "That would work, but as I said, it's unnecessary. Not to mention it interferes with other plans I have--" Joshua must have shot him some sort of look, for he added sharply, "Plans that do not involve you."

If I were Joshua, I would have been more than a little ready to punch the conceited old man. But then again, if I had been Joshua, I would also have checked for eavesdroppers before starting such a conversation.

"So, back to why this is good for our plans. As I said before, what we need least is her suspicion. So what we need most is a distraction. Lord Jason may cause just enough scandal in the court and change for her life that our plan could go unnoticed--" Here Joshua's loud and disbelieving snort interrupted him. "Well, not unnoticed. But un-investigated."

"You don't know her like I do. A little drama will not stop her from seeing what we are doing. Which is why I want to change the plan-- yes, I know, you will not. Mark my words, that is a mistake. But on the matter at hand-- I still fail to see why we should not send him to the border and stop this from going anywhere."

"You fail because you don't look any farther than the end of your nose. A relationship between Lord Jason and Morane may be the best thing we could ask for long-term. Should it progress far enough--"

"It won't go that far. His family needs money. Noble money, from a noble lady--"

"Or royal money, from the Royal Thief. Once I explain to the king that this is in our best interests, he will be happy to set aside the money for a noble dowry enough to satisfy even the lord of Laycreek."

I couldn't imagine King Aeric being happy to do anything for me. He was a notoriously blunt man, almost the opposite of Lord Iso, who kept his Guardians busy every waking moment. But I was also very aware, aware as I was that Joshua and Tobias were planning whether or not to meddle with my life, that if the king did agree to give me a dowry it would really be for Tobias. My happiness was not under discussion right now. So what was being discussed? As furious as I was getting, it was curiosity that kept me leaning against the wall, straining my ears to catch every word spoken inside. I almost wished to be a Spy in that moment, able to hear everything as clear as summer skies.

Tobias was continuing, his voice smug. "And then what will we have, Captain?"

"Lady Morane of Laycreek, now able to cause ten times as much trouble as before? I thought we were trying to keep her away from politics, not drag her into them--"

"Able to cause more trouble, but unable, too. You spend time with nobles, Captain, you know how it is-- they all hate the crown, but not one will say a word against it. It's all too easy for their lands to be taken away. Should we manage to make our Thief a noble, we would effectively have put her in life-long shackles."

On the other side of the wall, I considered his words and tone and shivered down to my bones.

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I know, it's short and it's late and it doesn't have the make-out scene SOME people wanted but I swear, that scene was giving me such a writer's block I had to give up on it. I'll probably be coming back to it when I do all-over editing.