Chapter Text
I.
The last time they had met over tea like this was when they were still princes.
He was all lanky limbs and knobbly knees back then. Taller than most children his age. Healthier too. Even when he stayed behind his mother, he was as conspicuous as he would have been if he were abreast.
Kishiar La Orr was a small child. A beautiful one, with rosy cheeks and pretty smiles. His manners were impeccable and he had already learned when to nod and when to smile.
His mother had softened soon enough and had ordered more of the dishes he seemed to like. She invited him to a walk in the rose gardens and a showed him the orchard in her courtyard.
"He's a good kid." His mother had said.
Ejain was eight and didn't have any opinions on a person he wouldn't meet much. He nodded along to that, like he had seen the imperial Prince do. Mother had laughed heartily and didn't bring him up again till her last breath.
It was how Kishiar La Orr appeared to him— a beautiful child with hair that sparkled under the Sun and eyes like the pomegranates that grew in mother's garden.
Though he didn't have the luxury of thinking about such trivial things, this faint impression persisted for long after, even after his reputation. Or lack of it.
'Really, what a cunning man.'
Across the table, Kishiar La Orr was still as inscrutable as ever. At least he seemed to enjoy the tea enough. His eyes twinkled.
Ejain remembered the request vividly. The dark ink had curled into a flawless script, appearing almost warm under the firelight of his office.
As for the contents…the letter had almost crumbled under his grip.
"Thank you for your aid."
Kishiar smiled. "I must thank you for allowing me a chance to use my experience, your majesty."
Ejain felt faintly impatient. The empty cup made a faint clink when he kept it down.
Days of informants at work. Years of intel from mercenaries. Nothing yielded any information that could pry open this man's thoughts for him. That elegant script of the letter were mocking.
It could be his partiality for Yudrein. He couldn't think of any other reason why the withdrawn Duke Paletta would suddenly extend an offer like this.
'It's still too strange.'
"Yudrein will attend our discussion tomorrow. Afterwards, I will not be present when Yudrein is learning under you."
Kishiar La Orr appeared unbothered. He lifted the cup with an elegant motion of his hand, concealing his face behind the rim.
II.
Yudrein wasn't in the office when he reached there.
While Ejain did not mind that he was allowing himself rest, it was strange of Yudrein to not even send a servant to pass on the message for being late. No, it wasn’t like Yudrein at all.
Still, he waited for as long as work permitted. When he couldn’t, he had no choice but to begin without Yudrein. Only by his first break in noon did Yudrein finally appear, unaccompanied by servants. A faint scent of almonds came from him. His hair was pinned in place by a simple loose braid, still wet at the tips from a bath.
Yudrein always finished freshening up before his morning lessons.
There was tightening around his sleep-swollen eyes, which was just more apparent with his heightened pallor. Yudrein looked like someone had taken away all his blades when Ejain clearly remembered allowing him a pair of daggers.
“Good morning, your majesty.”
Ejain wisely refrained from commenting. “Good morning.”
Yudrein sat down. Ejain watched his eyes blink at the paperwork before settling into a faint scowl as he began working. He had a feeling that annoyance was not at the reports, yet also had a feeling that right now wasn’t a good time to start a discussion either.
The tea kettle whistled on the burner, breaking the silence. Ejain poured the hot tea into his own cup. After some thought, he served a cup to Yudrein. The pen scratching on parchment stopped abruptly. Violet gaze dragged up from the paper to the dainty cup sitting on his table, and then to the kettle in Ejain’s hands.
“Tea.” Ejain placed the kettle back. “It will clear your mind.”
Yudrein didn’t touch the teacup.
“I'm sorry.”
“I’m not asking for apologies.” Ejain tapped the desk. “I want to know if you feel uncomfortable.”
Yudrein inclined his head. “…I had overslept.”
Ejain hadn’t missed how Yudrein had swapped his fitting shoes for softer moccasins. How sometimes he had to pause writing on gloomy days when his right hand went numb. It was shameful that he was still caught off-guard by his admission.
Yudrein’s efficiency made him forget about his pregnancy far too many times to be comfortable with.
No, forgetting isn’t the right word. Yudrein simply didn’t have any shortcomings in his efficiency to make excuses for. He could work on finances for hours on end with a consistent intensity, and analyses reports of their investigations right after. It was easy to forget irrelevant things like excuses when they were in his presence.
It was a wonder he was still on and about. Ejain should have taken better care of his health. If he couldn't be principled enough to look after those in his care, then ruling an empire fairly was a pipe dream.
“You are free to rest today if you’re unwell. I can talk to Duke Paletta.”
Yudrein’s fist clenched lightly on the table before he forcefully drew out the tension. He rubbed his palm on his uninjured eye, chasing away the sleep. With the slight rubbing, the faint flush made the bruised-like skin pop more obviously.
“No, it’s alright.” The frown had eased slightly from his face. “Thank you.”
III.
It happened again the day after. Then again the next week. Yudrein hid it well after the first incident, determined to not let it affect his work. The only thing that tipped Ejain off was the strange paleness that would persist for the entire day, even after meals.
Some well-placed awakened guards near the palace came back with reports of someone skilled enough to evade detection from most guards. That, and the fact that Yudrein didn’t speak up against it at all, narrowed the list of suspects down significantly.
Ejain trusted Yudrein. Not just as an ally, but as an equal. An equal with more morals than most of Orr’s nobles and mages. Yudrein would not hide anything that would be detrimental to their goals or to the little one. It was why he didn’t speak up again. Yudrein was more than capable of dealing with it himself. If not, the offer of help was always there.
That should have been enough for him to leave it alone.
Each time it happened again, he would be reminded of the time Yudrein was still bedridden and almost blind from infections. It was like that time again, when he could only watch Yudrein withdraw slowly, pale and quiet like a man back on the precipice of death.
If the Duke really had such deep affections…would he truly have surrendered Yudrein to that fate?
IV.
“Yudrein is a good learner.”
“Yes… that’s right.” A smile had tugged on Kishiar’s lips somewhere in their conversation. It was faint, shadowed by his darkened eyes. “He’s eager to learn. I know His Majesty knows Yudrein’s dedication rather well, so I wonder why His Majesty has called me to discuss it.”
A cool scent drifted with the breeze that blew through the ajar window, numbing Ejain’s nose. It was intense and bitter, in a way herbs tended to be.
“He requires his rest. It would be really appreciated if Duke Paletta halted his nightly visits for the time being.”
It was better to be direct with him than to dance around with pretty words. Kishiar finally met him in the eyes after nearly an hour of sitting in front of each other.
“As expected, nothing gets past Your Majesty anymore.” Kishiar chuckled. A strange stiffness appeared in his posture, as fleeting as it was. Although it could be attributed to a long day of work, Ejain didn’t believe that to be the cause.
If Kishiar La Orr felt anything, he hid it like it didn’t exist.
“They are simply lessons on tactical planning, nothing strenuous at all.”
When his words were gentle, his expression was inscrutable. The cool scent faded from the air. Older, softer fragrances of the room felt far more intense on his unusually sensitive nose. A soft, insistent throb was already building up in his temples.
How troublesome.
“He still needs all his strength to heal well.”
Kishiar tilted his head to the side and looked at him for a moment, before bowing his head in acquiescence.
“I suppose that is it.”
Ejain excused himself after. The faint essence of mint clung to his robes, fading only after he changed into a new set. The servants did not notice it, or at least did not show it.