The Alliance - 18. Chapter 18

Ysabel Di Coteau sat on a luxurious chaise lounge in her parlor, looking radiant as ever in a white sundress. She was relaxed, her long blonde and pink hair hanging in straight sheets about her. Perusing through the mail just brought in, she noted a letter sent from the Di Coteau manse with a symbol for urgency. But it was not just any symbol; it was the seal used to declare an emergency of the highest caliber. She used the black blade on her index finger to slice the seal that held the parchment, and read it carefully.

The letter dropped from her hands to the floor, and the woman was as still as she could be.

No.

“Rodrick?” she purred. He entered the room promptly, and she felt his fear spike when he saw her.

“Tie my hair up.”

“Of course, Madame Ysabel,” he said in a shaky voice. But Ysabel was gone, and only the demon remained.

No sooner had he put her hair in an elegant ponytail than she struck. Ysabel stood, turned around, and pushed her hand into his chest in one flash of a moment. She felt her fingers slide through his ribcage, and the blades on her hand pierce squishy tissue of heart and lungs. She ripped the hand back out, and watched the servant fall to the floor. A handmaid walked into the room carrying a tray of tea, and dropped it when she saw the bloody man on the ground. Before she could even scream, the demon backhanded her and opened bloody lines on her face and neck. Crimson spewed forth, and the demon walked on through the door to begin her rampage.

***

Luca paced back and forth, nervous to share what he thought he had seen. There is no way that I could just come out and accuse a noble lady. Especially not this one.

Luca had thought he had seen a fine dust spread out over the goblets used to serve the Di Coteau family, but he wasn’t sure. When Jezebel had entered the kitchen, he hid behind a rack. Though he had originally done so to avoid the woman who probably would still torture him given half the chance, he found himself watching her closely when she was in the kitchen. He had been shocked to see her chuck a plate of food at Alfie, who he rather liked, but hadn’t failed to notice the dust traveling through the air. He was at the perfect angle from his crouched position, and the light had shown the stuff floating through the air.

And now the general is dead. Luca didn’t feel particularly upset about that, given that the general had likely overseen the butchery of many in Ironia and could very well have caused the destruction of his own home town. He also wasn’t a man to foster relationships, so Luca didn’t think that he would be missed except maybe by his wife. He thought he should feel bad for Alexandre and Talia, who had so generously let him live in their home and accepted him, but those feelings passed when he realized that their only family was each other.

Alexandre does not care for his late father any more than he does Jezebel. This is for the best. Luca steeled himself, and walked into the office to tell what he had seen.

***

“This is the honest truth, Luca?” Alex should have been appalled by what he had just been told, but it was all too unsurprising. Of course it was Jezebel.

Luca nodded, and bowed his head deferentially. Alex could sense that the boy was intimidated, and he had to admit that he could understand why his father felt so empowered sitting behind the big black desk. Alex had taken to running the affairs of the estate, and now occupied his father’s office frequently. He would have liked to talk to Luca a bit more, but he had an obscene amount of things to do.

“Thank you. Your word is always valuable to me and I trust that you will come to me with things like this more often in the future. You are a councilor of mine now, after all.” Alex gave a small reassuring smile, hoping to ease the boy from whatever nerves he had. He didn’t feel it really worked, but Luca stood up and gave another nod of the head.

“You are dismissed.” Alex watched Luca walk out of the room, and began to rub his eyes and pinch the bridge of his nose.

Luca was wise not to make any accusations about Jezebel beforehand. Actually… how am I supposed to do anything with this information? Alexandre knew he couldn’t come straight out and accuse his cousin of murdering a general of the thirteen, especially not one who was her uncle. To be a kin slayer was a heinous crime, befitting public shaming and execution as punishment. Accusations between family members would look bad, especially when there was the issue of replacing not one, but two generals in Nabius. The Di Coteau children were all eligible and potentially willing to take on the positions, and that would mean that they would need to look their best. Additionally, Alex didn’t think that the word of an ex-prostitute saying that he thought he might have seen dust floating through the air was evidence enough for anything to happen.

And the poisoner gets away with it. St. Koba watches over you, Jezebel. In truth, Alexandre was glad to know at least something about what may have happened concerning the death of his father, but he really didn’t care. In Nabius, death was simply a natural part of the cycle of life, and it was improper to show emotions in the face of the death of a “loved” one. Alexandre felt that Luca’s revelations were just like all of the other notifications he had been receiving while serving in his father’s stead: useless.

Alexandre had come to dread doing what his father had put up with, discussing news and keeping tabs on the entire realm. The only truly difficult thing that he wouldn’t necessarily deem tedious was writing to his mother, informing her of recent events. That letter had just been sent. Otherwise, he received so many letters and wrote so many replies that his hand ached day after day, and he realized that people became concerned with anything. That day, for example, he had dealt with innumerable wastes of time.

There was one letter stressing the importance of the capitol using blood magic, so that they would prosper in upcoming times. I don’t believe in the stuff, so why do I care? Another told of problems with polar bear overpopulation to the far north in Illjard. Again, why do I care? That isn’t even a part of this continent. Alexandre wondered why he even had informants there. There was also supposedly a kraken destroying Tomacian ships to the east. All the better for us, why must I know of it?

Alex struggled not to write reply letters that said nothing more than “duly noted,” but in the end went for propriety and thanked each of his informants for their information.

I suppose I at least have confirmation that it wasn’t Carlisle… Alexandre’s heart dropped. It had crushed him to learn that he loved the enemy, and he couldn’t do anything about it. I need to figure this out soon.

At the sound of commanding knock on the office doors, Alex rolled his eyes. Who could this be?

When a pretty girl with pastel pink hair in a singular braid walked in through the door, he perked up.

“Talia.” The lithe girl walked across the marble floor in the office, and sat down in a chair across from the desk. Her legs hung over one of the arm rests, and she propped herself on her elbows upon the other.

“Hello brother. You’re looking stressed as usual. You really should get outside and do something, you’re pale enough already and sitting behind a desk isn’t a good look for you.”

Alex rolled his eyes. “Thanks.” Talia was twiddling a knife around her fingers, looking bored. It was a ruse, Alexandre knew. She was in reality appraising everything in the room – including him – using her peripheral vision and covert darts of the eyes.

“Have you finished the list father tasked you with?” At that, the girl looked at him directly with her bright green eyes.

“That’s what I came here to talk to you about. I’m all done, except for two. I’ve gotten word that they’ll be in a brothel in town tonight. Apparently, Count Dramadon and Count Michaels visit together, regularly.”

“Well, good. Sneaking in and luring them into a private place shouldn’t be too difficult for you.” Alex knew that his sister was very good at seduction, and would have no problem eliminating these targets. It was probably a good thing that they be eliminated as well, given that Alex would probably have to take power himself soon and they would oppose him. Talia lifted her legs up, and swung them forward so she was sitting in the chair the way it was designed to be sat in.

“That’s the problem. Michaels will be simple, but Dramadon… he prefers the company of boys, exclusively.” Alexandre’s mind began whirring, and he realized that he was the best option for the job. Alex was short by Nabian standards, his face wasn’t too well known, and killing off those who would deny his claim to becoming general himself couldn’t hurt his reputation. Talia was asking for him to come along.

“I see.” A long moment passed, and both siblings tried to speak at once. Talia won out.

“I know you plan to take control of this estate, which I think is for the best. These are both men that would oppose you. This last mission requires your involvement. Help me to honor our father’s last assignment for me.”

If it has to be done, I suppose I can do it. Maybe it will clear my head as well. Alex had been so caught up in keeping the region running in the immediate aftermath of his father’s death that he had gotten almost no time at all to contemplate the situation with Carl. The blankness of mind that came along with carrying aout a mission would be refreshing. I’ll just get out of the house for a bit. Yes, that will be good.

“Alright. I’ll join you.” Talia looked startled, and was obviously prepared to argue her brother into it after a refusal. She didn’t think he would acquiesce so easily.

“Well… okay then. I’ll see you in the war room in an hour for planning.”

“I’ll be there.”

***

Night had fallen, and two beautiful Di Coteau children walked side by side in the streets of Mullansburg. Their destination was just ahead, and they looked exactly like they belonged there.

Talia was in a sheer maroon dress, that was one piece and exposed her almost entirely. The shimmery, see-through fabric revealed the buds of both of her nipples, and a curvy, slim body that would be pleasing to any man. The dress also had the effect of making her appear unarmed, but Alexandre knew that this wasn’t the case. A shiny pin at the top of her braid in the shape of a dagger secretly marked the place at which a thin knife entered her hair. The thick rope of pink and maroon and blonde hid the length of the sheath, and Talia could grab the hair pin and pull to access the blade. She was every bit the temptress, and equally deadly.

Alex himself had to appear non-dangerous, so he donned nothing but loose-fitting white trousers of a cheap material. He had a knife strapped to his thigh that he could draw rather quickly. The pair rounded the corner, and walked straight into the Lucky Lover, a bar and whorehouse.

Inside, a smoky parlor was overseen by a dirty woman with a distracting mole on her face. This was the owner of the whores, and Alex and Talia would have to sneak past her desk at the front in order to reach the lounge where the targets would be soon. The woman seemed drunk, so that part was easy. When a drunken soldier stumbled up to her desk and tried to mmake payment, the two Di Coteaus snuck past. They walked into the parlor, and settled on two spacious lounges. A few heads turned when they did, but the low din of chatting faltered only momentarily. Alexandre looked around, and took in the scene.

The room was filled with whores and patrons alike, all chatting and flirting voraciously. Some of the prostitutes in the establishment were appallingly young, and Alex felt himself wincing at their poor attempts to be seductive. Talia seemed not to notice, or she didn’t care. She was too focused to notice distractions like the injustice of child sex workers. But Alex hadn’t achieved the calm numbness he had been hoping for on a mission yet, and he felt himself glancing at those who suffered the injustices of war.

Is this what Nabius does? Does the conquering of other regions lead to nothing but the enslavement of the weak? Alexandre had always been taught that the weak deserved their fates, but his life as of late had been telling him otherwise. After all, Luca seemed to have his own type of strength, and Alexandre respected and cared for him. And Nabius… Nabius had doomed him to many years of rape, abuse, and violence.

And Carlisle… this is what Tomacia swears against. Are they right? Alex had known nothing but war all of his life, and he had never questioned it before.

Then again, no one has ever told me that they love me, either. And I have never loved someone like this. The thought had distracted him so much that he hadn’t even noticed the two counts that were targeted enter the room. Talia had already approached her target, and was luring him up the stairs into one of the private rooms. Alex knew the man would have a puncture wound in his throat soon, and smirked at her aggressiveness. Her lure made this task almost too easy for her.

Looking around, he noticed Count Dramadon appraising a group of boys. They all had relatively small frames, or were at least young enough in age that they appeared small. Alex quietly walked over to join them, and looked around.

One boy in the group had white hair and red eyes, and was quite exotic. If the Count chose him, Alex wasn’t sure how he could compete. He had to be the one to take Dramadon upstairs, or else he would never return to the brothel that Talia’s target had been murdered in. It was now or never, and Alexandre needed this man dead to be able to take power officially.

One of the other boys was clearly from Ironia, and another had dark skin and dark hair and Alex wasn’t sure where he had come from. Finally, the last member of the group was Tomacian. Alex looked him up and down, and his breath caught in his throat.

No more than fourteen… and he looks just like Carl. He could practically be a member of the royal family with his looks. Looking at this boy, Alex felt he could no longer ignore his situation with Carlisle. If he doomed his lover, Carlisle would face much worse than this Tomacian boy that was his look alike.

And if I take the side of Nabius, doesn’t that mean I condone the abuse and torture of captured slaves, even children? Do I accept Luca’s past by betraying someone who cares for me?

With steely resolve, Alexandre finally found focus.

The Count was about to take the Tomacian boy upstairs before Alexandre stopped him. Needing to ensure that he was selected to go upstairs and simultaneously pining to save the young boy from this vile man – though the boy was by no means a virgin – Alex spoke up.

“No my Lord!” The official turned to him, fury in his eyes. Who was this slut that dared to prompt him what to do? Instantly, Alex was slapped in the face. Looking towards the ground over his left shoulder, where he held his head after the slap, Alexandre tasted blood in his mouth.

At least I will take some pleasure out of killing him. “I beg your pardon, my lord” he said in a voice that he hoped sounded meek and shaken. “I only thought that that boy is so young and… inexperienced. It may serve your lordship better to take on a more skilled and… eager to please companion.” Alexandre turned his face upwards, looking at his intended target. He put on a face of pure angelic innocence and hurt, praying that it would work. The count’s eyes still flashed with anger, but it slowly dissolved after meeting Alex’s eyes.

“What is your name boy?”

“Andrew, my lord” replied Alexandre, daring to continue gazing at the man. He thought desperately to think of something that would make him more appealing, and vaguely remembered Talia telling him that a smile was the surest way to lure a man into doing your bidding. Of course, Talia was a beautiful woman, and Alex had no idea if that sort of thing worked on men who preferred the company of other men. Talia’s smile also reminded him of a viper about to end some poor rodent, and he wasn’t sure if that was really the look he should be going for. In fact, he wasn’t even entirely sure what his own smile looked like at all. After all, he had never truly needed to impress anyone. Why should he spend time looking in the mirror? His matches according to his father would all have been made with purely political interests at heart. Actual attraction and interest were not things that were taken into consideration in the Di Coteau household. After all, there was no use to a match that did not bring about some benefit to the greater good.

He steeled himself, angered at knowing that being unaware of how to seduce someone may have cost him in this mission. He supposed he must try to take Talia’s advice, because it was all he had in the situation. Looking at the Tomacian boy that looked like Carlisle, Alex knew of one memory that often brought a smile to his face. Thinking of his first, deep kiss with Carlisle, Alexandre allowed himself to blush and smile weakly.

At the sight of his gleaming white teeth, Count Dramadon squinted his eyes. “Eager to please, huh?” he asked, his face slowly moving from a scowl to one of angry piggish delight. “We’ll see how that goes tonight I suppose. Come with me.”

Alexandre felt an inward sense of relief, and was able to refocus on being the lethal machine that he was. The hardest part of his mission was over – Dramadon had picked him to disappear into seclusion with. When the count became impatient with Alex’s failure to move instantly, he grabbed the shorter nineteen year old by his ebony hair and pulled violently. Alex forgot to wince so that he might appear like he hadn’t had pain conditioned out of him, but luckily the count seemed eager and walked in front of him as he pulled. Alex looked back at the boy that looked like Carlin, and for a moment, he thought his eyes might water up. He may have “saved” the boy from just another night of rape, but he knew that there was someone else who needed saving too. Someone much closer to his heart.

The count shoved him in the door by the back of his neck, and turned to fit a large iron key in the lock. He enjoyed privacy with his boys, and did not appreciate when a brothel owner or even another whore burst in on his activities. Luckily, this brothel made no inquisitions when a whore started crying or yelled out in pain, and had special locking rooms like the one he was in now. All the better for me.

With a wolfish grin, Count Dramadon turned, fully expecting to see the young black-haired boy awaiting him in some seductive pose on the bed. He nearly jumped out of his boots when he turned to find the boy just inches from his face, completely silent.

“Regards from your upcoming general, Alexandre Di Coteau,” Alex said coldly.

Before the man’s eyes even had time to widen fully, Alex had shoved a stiletto into his heart. He caught the mustached count before he even hit the ground, aiming to muffle the sound of a dropping body.

He thought about taking the time to loot the man, but decided it didn’t matter. His target was dead, and that was all there was to it. A moment later, he disappeared through the window and into a purple, quiet night

“It took you long enough,” Talia said curtly, but with a smile. She looked Alex up and down appraisingly.

“Not all of us can be as beautiful as you, my dear sister. I had to convince the man that I would be the most deserving of his attentions in bed.” Alex returned the smile.

He noticed that Talia had already changed back into a suit of black, mail-reinforced scale-plate. It showed off her body well, and he knew that his sister likely relished slaying the man that had obtrusively groped her earlier. The long pink braid that had hung off to the side in the brothel was also pulled upwards into a bun and pinned through with some thin black object – Alexandre just assumed that it was something that she could deal damage with, though he couldn’t see in the dark – and only a few loose wisps of hair outlined the side of her face. They were illuminated by the light coming from the bell tower behind her, which also put a glint on one of the daggers she had strapped to her thigh.

The rendezvous point that they had chosen was a good one. On the roof of the St. Irridious church, there was just enough light from the bell tower to stash regular clothing and get changed without worrying about losing balance or falling. Of course, Alexandre and Talia’s balance were near perfect even in the dark anyway. It was near the brothel, and even if anyone passed in the relatively under-populated area of town, the pair would be nothing but silhouettes against the light of the church.

“Alexandre. We should return quickly. I expect you’ll write to the capitol to announce that you’re taking over as general soon?”

“Yes, yes, let me get changed” Alex grumbled. Taking off the white linen pants he’d worn in the brothel, he slipped into a more course fabric shirt and pants that were black and lined on the inside with silk.

The clothes were light and well-fitted, and accentuated his lean body. Over top, he dropped lightweight maroon chainmail and strapped on his black scale-plate that went over his shoulders, forearms, thighs, pelvis, breast, stomach, and shins in separate pieces. After reattaching a number of blades in hidden and familiar spots, Alex bent down to strap on a pair of leather and scale-plate black boots, spiked for climbing and containing a few throwing knives. Momentarily, he looked over the edge of the roof and imagined what it would be like to fall.

How funny that would be, considering where we are, he thought to himself. The assassin saint Irridious had been made famous in Ironia by throwing an enemy guard off of a tower. This was no feat in itself, but it was timed so that the guard, donned in heavy armor, fell and crushed St. Irridious’s target in the street below. It was effective, Alex supposed, taking two people out at once. He had also heard that the saint left this life in a similar fashion, jumping off a building in his old age to crush a final target with his own body.

Looking at a blood-red, pink, and black depiction of the saint in stained glass on the bell tower, he supposed he owed this man something. Irridious was one of the generals who had started the conquest of Ironia, a conquest that Alex had furthered greatly in his lifetime.

But do I really owe him for that? All this war has done over the decades is warp Nabius into a cruel and violent nation. We allow slavery, and force enemies into terrible lives.

Alex thought of the arena, knowing that merely surviving would be the crowning achievement of some prisoners of wars’ lives. And the sex industry? Luca is an intelligent and tenacious friend. His life is an example of what Nabius does to Ironians. He scoffed. Even to Tomacians. Though most Tomacian prisoners were sold into the gladiatorial or labor slave markets, some, like the boy he had just kept out of Dramadon’s clutches, were doomed to bed slavery.

That boy could have just as well been Carl at a young age. The thought hurt, and Alex realized he had been staring blanky.

“Alex?” his sister asked. “Are you ready?”

“Yes, Talia, sorry.” He looked at her again, and thought once more about his situation. He had a prince in disguise, the position of general coming, and a distaste for what he had come to find out about the Nabian underground, which was fed by the war. “Talia?”

“Yes?”

“I’m going to change this country as a general, like no one ever has before.”