Division Excision

The children did not prove a fit distraction from Cub's waiting. What's more, in the way of children, they were at their worst on the day he was least equipped to handle it gracefully.

He heaved a deep sigh when he dropped them off at their last lesson before dinner, and decided to go over his preparations one last time before concealing them along his exit route from the dining hall.

Cub's provisions were well packed. He cut two new loincloths and added them to the pack before slinging it over his shoulder. His appearance on the grounds with a pack was not a strange enough occurrence to make note of and he stowed the pack deep in the bushes near the dining hall's rear exit without issue.

Cub collected the children after their lesson and helped the youngest of them wash and dress for dinner, while the elder children did the job for themselves. Their lesson with Dotti in grappling seemed to have been harrowing, as they were a great deal more subdued than before it.

He looked at Elias and Jean with the eyes of an Uncle and Brother. He had grown fond of all the children, even Sam, Silas and Silene's son, but unsurprisingly Elias and Jean held a special place in his heart and he would miss them keenly. The identity of their father did not reflect on their character for Cub. He could only hope that, if he was successful, he could spirit them away from this place before the sins of their father indoctrinated them to his ways fully.

It was expected of him as their caretaker to provide all the children with love and affection, but his sudden fierce hug took both the children by surprise.

"Why sad, Cussin?" Elias lisped, reaching out a chubby hand to trace the track of the tear that spilled down his face.

Jean took notice then. "Cub sad?"

Cub sniffed and released them, swiftly wiping a sleeve across his face. "I'm not sad. I'm just so happy that I have such wonderful cousins. These are happy tears.", he lied.

They made it into to the dining hall without further emotional outburst and with each step anxiety twisted its nauseating knife deeper into his gut. Cub got all the children situated in their seats and wheeled the his cart off to the side of the head table. He scanned the room, in what felt to him a manner that made it clear to everyone in the room that he was planning to assassinate the most famous man onworld, but did not see Catkin.

Putting his faith in the Elder, Cub walked to his seat at the head table, currently occupied only by the children of the House. Silas and Silene would enter soon and he would rather not poison the wine under their noses. He did his best to nonchalantly slide the wine carafe away from the children toward Silas's seat, while twisting his wrist to unstopper the wineskin on his arm. The sound of the poison sloshing into the carafe sounded deafeningly loud, but he refused to look up. When he felt that most of the draught had poured in, he righted his arm and took his seat. Only replacing the stopper under the table and with a napkin to prevent any of the draught from touching his skin.

Cub watched the door for Catkin's arrival and paid only half attention to the whines and concerns of the children anxious for dinner to be served. To his horror the next figures through the door were the Lord and Lady of the House, followed by none other than the Governor himself. Cubs eyes widened and his heart began to hammer. 'What if the Governor drinks first!?'

Silas was pulling out Silene's chair and offering the Governor the spot to his left when Catkin finally walked in. She looked at Cub briefly but did not hold his gaze. Her pace across the floor had quickened a bit though. She cut to the side of the room on a path that would take her past Cub's cart and behind Silas.

She was just halfway across the dining room when Silas reached for the wine carafe. Mind racing for a way to distract them from the wine for even a moment, Cub reached beneath the table and pinched Jean hard on her bare leg. The sudden shriek startled the Governor, Silene, and the children, but Silas was unfazed. His hand did pause and then retreat from the carafe.

When Cub raised his wary eyes to Silas' face, the man was already staring right at him. Cub started, and realized it was his job to console the child. He shushed Jean and scooped her up into his arms. He promised her quietly that he had squished the bug that bit her and brought her to the cart where he had a stash of toys for moments like this.

From his position he couldn't see that Silas had poured the wine already. He also didn't see Silas stop the Governor's hand as it was lifting the cup to take a drink.

Catkin was almost to the cart by that point, but from her vantage point she could see both Cub's face and Silas'. Silas turned and locked his eyes upon her and smiled before draining his cup in a single pull. She knew without a doubt that he knew the drink had been poisoned and that it was no threat to him, as he had so clearly demonstrated. She drew out the dagger from her clothes and walked past Cub. She spoke swiftly and quietly in the language of Cub's people. "Live well and put aside vengeance. The Kinkiller cannot die."

Cub was taken aback upon suddenly hearing his native tongue. So much so, that he did not immediately understand what Catkin had said. He did understand the unconcealed ceremonial dagger in her hands, though. He cried out hoarsely and grabbed for her arm as she passed him, but she turned neatly to avoid his grasping hand.

He turned and saw Catkin charge at Silas, screaming in their tongue. The dagger was brandished ahead of her.

Cub didn't see Silas move, but in an insant her feet kicked in the air, suspended by Silas' hand around her throat. She thrust the knife toward his neck, but it was intercepted by Silas' other hand.

Silas chuckled then. "Weaken me with poison, and stab me with a purified blade. Clever." He reached his thumb up then from where he clasped both Catkin's hand and the dagger and placed it on the flat of the blade. "No Fountain on this planet is powerful enough to craft a weapon that can harm me." To illustrate his point, he pressed his thumb into the flat of the blade and snapped it off its hilt as though it where a dry twig.

The metal of the blade rang out shrilly as it bounced and slid on the floor. Catkin's neck issued a brief, but grisly, crunch as Silas jerked her violently.

He calmly dropped her limp body to the floor and turned to address the room. "A tenacious people!", he offered boldly. "But ultimately fragile. Come let us eat!"

With that servants burst from the kitchens with the serving trays. With a gesture from Silas, two hauled Catkin's limp body out the door through which he had planned to flee and dumped her unceremoniously outside before returning to resume their serving duties.

Before returning to his seat the Lord of the House walked purposefully up to Cub and pulled the boy by his shirt front to a standing position. Cub was glad of the man's strength then, because his legs could not have borne his weight.

Little Jean, who had been consoled and was playing with her favorite doll, was oblivious to what had happened. She looked up at her caretaker and father. "Cubby, play with me!", she cried happily.

Silas glanced from his daughter back to Cub. "Did you know this would happen? Did you have *any* idea?", Silas asked gravely.

Cub answered immediately, and truthfully. "No."

Satisfied with his answer, Silas released his shirt. By that time Cub had rediscovered his legs and managed to stay upright as Silas returned to his guest and meal.

Numbly, Cub quieted Jean and led her back to her seat. Long years of practice let him move through dinner mindlessly. His eyes only half-seeing.

When the children had finished, he gathered them to retire to their rooms, while the adults of the House continued to eat and drink into the evening. As he was preparing to leave, he heard Silas' velvet voice behind him. "See me during the children's first lesson, Nephew."

"Yes, Uncle."