Chapter 21: Advantage
As the season progresses, the days become warmer and warmer. Emrys tends to run hot, but the halls of the manor are blessedly cool. The humidity of the oncoming storms still seeps inside, turning even the coolest rooms damp and the air thick. With the weather threatening to break any day now and the hottest days of the year still ahead, Emrys and Aesind have been enjoying as much time outdoors as possible.
It's almost Emrys's turn for the day. He's set to join Aesind out on the terrace for lemonades and light snacks before strolling the garden. His sleeves are rolled to the elbow already, even though it's early in the day. He hopes he can convince Aesind to spend time at the fountain again to cool his feet, even if the rest of him will stay too warm.
Emrys descends the side stairway lightly, a spring in his step. As he rounds the corner into the hallway proper, he freezes and darts back behind cover.
Ahead, Reeves and his attendant (a nondescript person whose name Emrys never got and who he's only seen three times so far) are meandering into the library, talking in hushed, hurried tones. The attendant is scribbling notes into a journal of some sort as Reeves speaks. He seems more irritated than usual. His attendant is sweating in the cool but humid hallway, rubbing at their forehead nervously every few seconds.
As they disappear into the library doors, Emrys steps silently into the hallway. He glances about, but no one else is here. It's possible one of the staff (or Ash) is already in the library to listen in. Still, Emrys can't give up an opportunity to learn something about Reeves, his sponsor, or what he's up to now. Aesind asked him to help, and Ash said that Reeves should be watched carefully.
Emrys follows Reeves with long, swift steps. He edges along the wall, peering subtly into the library. Reeves and his attendant disappear down one of the aisles. Emrys darts inside to follow. He resolves to stay an aisle away, close enough to hear most of the conversation but out of sight. As he gets closer, the conversation becomes clearer. Emrys follows their meandering pace down the aisle, moving step for step and remaining perfectly silent.
"...isn't going to be a problem," Reeves is saying in a low, clipped tone. "Assure him of that."
"Yes, sir. Of course." There's a quiet sound of aggressive lines being drawn. Emrys imagines the attendant underlining one of their notes, probably not for the first time.
"However," Reeves continues, muttering, "the interloper remains a problem. We need to find a way around him. He's impeding my progress here."
"There was the recommendation of..."
Reeves doesn't appear to be listening. "I can barely get any extra time to conduct our plans. If they actually choose this Symmonet, it'll be my head. And yours, by the by."
An audible swallow. "Yes, sir."
A proud smirk crosses Emrys's lips. He's doing his job exactly as he should if Reeves is this worked up about him.
"We must get around him. Or, better yet, get rid of him."
"Sir," the attendant says, voice shaking with nerves as they object, "I must remind you that you cannot take direct action against Mister Symmonet. Doing so will surely end with you being ejected from the manor, and--"
"Yes, yes," Reeves hisses. He stops, and Emrys stops with him. "I don't plan on harming him. Not physically. Although, if he were to assault me... but I'd rather it not come to that. Better you than me, if we must stage such a thing."
There's a short pause. Then, the attendant sighs and mutters, "Yes, sir."
"But there is a better way." His sly smile is audible as he lays out his plan. "Symmonet seems to have a temper. He holds himself well, but his way is that of violence, not diplomatic relations."
"Well, sir, his mother is..."
"Don't interrupt me."
"Apologies, sir."
"Where was I? Ah yes. My point is that a man like Symmonet is quick to anger and slow to forgive. He has untoward feelings toward the Lord Consort, that much is obvious. It is these feelings we must exploit."
Heat pricks Emrys's face. He's too fucking obvious. Irritation simmers in his veins. True, Emrys would like nothing more than to storm into the next aisle and shout this asshole down from the lofty perch he's placed himself on. But that would only prove Reeves right. So Emrys breathes through his nose and exhales his anger as heat.
Reeves continues, oblivious to the danger only feet away: "If the interloper believes the Lord Consort has made a choice, he'll have no choice but to retreat. His pride and temper are his ultimate weaknesses. The betrayal will be more than enough to ruin their pathetic friendship and whatever else Symmonet hopes to get out of this."
"And the choice is..."
"Me, you fool. I'll make it perfectly clear that I am the only proper choice given the circumstances we find ourselves under. The Lord Consort won't be capable of refusing, and Lord Archimedes is a reasonable man. He won't want to make any more trouble than he already has." Reeves snaps his fingers. "Write this down in detail. I want the reply sent as soon as possible." Reeves takes a long, audible breath inwards, and Emrys can picture the man smoothing his crispy hair back. "It is a genius idea."
"Yes, sir. I'll send it right away."
The pair wander away deeper into the library. Emrys stands in place uneasily, torn between confronting Reeves right now and walking away. In the end, logic wins out. If asked, Aesind would prefer that Emrys come straight to him rather than attempting to handle it all himself with only partial information to hand.
Emrys waits a few more seconds to listen to Reeves's grating voice disappear into the library's stacks before turning back the way he came. He leaves the library quickly but takes up a casual pace in the hallway. A glance at the clock in the foyer tells him he's a touch late to meet Aesind now, but it's for a good cause.
Sure enough, Aesind is waiting just outside the doors leading to the terrace. He gives Emrys a dry look. "You're late."
"I know, I'm sorry," Emrys says. He leans in closer, lowers his voice. "It's for a good cause."
"Did something happen?" Aesind whispers, turning alert and concerned at once. "Are you okay?"
Emrys's heart softens. He can't help but smile, though he tries to hide it with a huff. "I'm fine. Let's go out, and we can talk in the garden."
They pick up their lemonades from a table, leaving the large glass jug under the shade of an umbrella. The air outside feels wet and heavy. Emrys hopes it finally rains tonight. It won't be the last humid day of the season, but a break would go a long way.
Aesind leads Emrys into the garden, following the path that leads to the fountain without Emrys even needing to suggest it. He sips delicately from his cup, ice clinking against the glass. All too casually, he asks, "So, what happened?"
"I caught wind of trouble," Emrys says in a low tone. "Reeves, talking to his attendant."
Emrys summarizes what he heard. With every word, Aesind's expression darkens further. They reach the fountain and fall into silence, tale told. Aesind strips his soft-soled shoes and rolls his trousers to the knee with a gravity that doesn't match the carefree atmosphere of the fountain. Emrys's bare feet slip into the refreshing water beside Aesind's.
The quiet stretches out. Aesind remains stonily silent, glaring into the rippling water with a hard intensity that shouldn't make Emrys's heart race as much as it does. That pretty face veils a powerful magician and a cunning mind. Emrys would hate to be Aesind's enemy. Anyone who stands in this man's way is a fool with a death wish at best. A beautiful danger, and Emrys is weak for it.
"I can't expel him yet," Aesind mutters under his breath, apparently to himself. "Hearsay isn't enough. Not for this one. I need concrete evidence, something he's done."
"There's a journal," Emrys says. "The attendant keeps one. Probably trying to keep up with the asshole's orders. It's got everything inside, I think."
Aesind sets his thumbnail between his front teeth. "Perhaps, but I can't easily get to it. I could ask Ash to retrieve it in the middle of the night, but what if they wake up and see it's missing? I can't put Ash at risk like that." He sighs through his teeth around the bite. "There isn't much I can do without Archimedes."
"I'm sorry it isn't more helpful."
"Oh, it's alright," Aesind says with a small half-smile. "Don't apologize for trying to help. I appreciate it. Having some information is better than not knowing at all. We've known all along that Reeves would try to make trouble, and now we know what kind. We'll be ready for him."
Emrys nods definitively. "We will."
"The day's packed for me after lunch." Aesind sighs. "I'd rather prepare as soon as possible, but in private."
"You could come to my room after the suitors have gone to bed," Emrys offers. "We can talk more then."
"Good idea. But for now..." Aesind stretches his legs out and his arms up with a groaning sigh. He releases the stretch and gives Emrys a brighter smile. "I'm determined to enjoy our time as much as possible."
Emrys lifts his half-empty cup of lemonade. "To enjoying the day?"
"Cheers to that," Aesind says, laughing as he taps his cup's rim against Emrys's. He sips, then sets his cup down beside himself. "I might bring a book or two with me to your room, if you don't mind. I've had barely any time to read lately."
"I don't mind at all. I can pull out my sketchbook and draw while you read." Emrys gives Aesind a toothy, teasing smile. "The quiet might be a nice change for once."
"Dickhead!" Aesind exclaims. He kicks a small wave of chilly water over Emrys's exposed shins. His laugh turns to a cackle when Emrys retaliates by scooping up a palm full of water. "Don't you dare!"
Emrys grins and tosses the water at Aesind, aiming for his chest. It splashes across Aesind's shoulder as he turns to avoid the splash. He gasps at the cold and in mock offense.
"Oh, you're in for it now," Aesind warns as he gets to his feet. He stoops, dipping both hands into the water, and thrusts an even larger splash of water at Emrys.
The water sloshes up Emrys's legs to soak his trousers to the hip. Emrys stands with his hands in the water, using his superior height and hand size to gather up significantly more water than Aesind can manage. He puts as much force behind it as he can, throwing a massive wave in Aesind's direction.
The battle lasts half an hour. By the time they stop, they're both wheezing with laughter, each soaked from head to toe. Emrys steps from the fountain first and offers Aesind a hand, which he accepts to step up onto the fountain's edge and then down. They stand together, dripping and giggling like children, unable to form full sentences before they dissolve into more laughter.
One of the staff comes around a hedge corner with towels in hand and an amused smile on her face. Emrys realizes he's still holding Aesind's hand and promptly drops it. The tingling warmth of the contact remains long after he lets go.
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