Songs of the Capital

Chapter 137

Frayer had lived a long life--this was especially impressive considering he'd been entangled with the wrong side of the law from when he was a little boy thieving away around the Perfumed District. Most boys and men like him die very young or get caught and tossed into grunt work at mines and other camps, but he somehow managed to evade it all and grow from hollow roots into a fairly respectable middleman.

His primary role was simply to foster connections between various groups within and without the city and operate trade channels away from the prying eyes. This required him to learn how to read people and situations better than everyone he knew as his life depended on it. And yet... he failed. For the first time in decades, he completely and utterly failed. What he saw, and what everyone saw were two innocent country bumpkins who could be sold for a decent price--especially the girl--but what they got was a thick, concrete wall that slammed them back onto the ground.

Though the man said that they'd have a conversation, he'd instead completely ignored him and seemed to tease the woman a bit over some drinks. Both he and Lila exchanged glances several times, and though she still seemed to want to give it a shot at a man's life, Frayer was incessant in the simple command--no.

"So, you finally managed to convince her to calm down?" the man suddenly shifted his attention to the two of them and asked with a smile.

"I know not what you mean, good man," Frayer plastered on his fanciest smile, though due to his age and decaying teeth, it wasn't all that pleasant. "Would you like something to eat? Perhaps our house's special?"

"If I told you my mission is to go hack the King's head off, what would you do?" the man's words chilled the atmosphere immediately--even Lila, who had the nerves of steel, found herself shivering. Frayer himself felt as though he heard a God talk directly to him. As though a bolt of thunder blasted him directly. The words which man just uttered... were complete heresy. Even outsiders, and members of the Kingdoms that Ethernia was at war with, would never dare directly threaten a King like that.

There were two options--either the man was a madman... or something greater than life. And Frayer didn't wish to bet on the madness.

"Not the biggest fans of it, it seems," the man chuckled while the woman sighed and rolled her eyes. "I seemed to have underestimated either the love or the fear they have for their King. Why can't people love me like that, huh?"

"Because you annoy them into despising you?" the woman spoke for the first time since entering the building.

"What? I thought they were just jealous of my charms."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night. Aren't you going start asking serious questions now, though?"

"Yeah, true. Going directly after the King's head is a bit too much," the man chuckled again, turning his attention back on Frayer and Lila, while taking a sip of ale. "Let's start small. What do you know about Prince Valen's death?"

"..." Frayer and Lila both frowned--it was as though their expressions were expressly asking 'why the hell did he bring up a dead Prince?'. Nonetheless, Frayer gathered his thoughts for a moment before replying. "It is... not a topic you will hear a lot of around. In public, everyone will do a quick rundown of 'shame it happened, but the Prince was at fault'. In reality, there have been... rumors."

"What rumors?"

"... that the Prince isn't dead."

"Oh?" the man arched his brow curiously. "Do tell."

"I have only heard whispers here and there," Frayer said. "Some say that the castle guards saw an unmarked carriage leaving the rear of the castle the night the Prince supposedly died. Others say that they saw a young man whose description matches the Prince's in a town north of here, heading further north. Some say that he was secretly shipped off to another Kingdom as a part of a trade deal. Nothing... nothing can be verified, however."

"Well, I'll verify it for you," the man grinned. "The Prince is indeed alive."

"..."

"Pfft, ha ha ha, damn, you two are easy," the man laughed at their shocked and startled expressions while the woman sighed yet again. "Very well, let's move on. You mentioned the trade deals with the Kingdoms. Are you one of the brokers?"

"Gods no," Frayer replied. "I wouldn't be even if they offered me."

"Why?"

"Why?" Frayer scoffed. "Because my head would roll! Do you know how many brokers have died trying to facilitate trades between Kingdoms? Dozens! Every time it happens, it does so because the Kings get offended by the offer from the other side and take it out on the broker!"

"Yeah, Kings are known to have tiny dicks and tiny brains," the man commented, once again sending both Frayer and Lila into a spiral of doubt. Frayer thought himself brave that he simply spoke the truth of the Kings' actions, and yet the man... the man seemed to have no reverence for the crown. "What's the situation in the capital in general since the Prince's death?"

"... heavy," Frayer replied. "On the surface, everything appears normal. However..."

"Yes, yes, I get it--like me, you like building atmosphere for your story," the man said hastily. "But your buddies will be back soon. Either you'll get to watch them die, or by the time they come back, the two of us will be gone. Make a choice."

"Recently, I've been approached by a lot of Noble families," Frayer said quickly. "Some asked for weapons, others asked for me to find a safe passage out of the Kingdom for their children... something is bubbling, I can say that for certain. However, I honestly don't know what."

"Anything leaking from the Anur House?" the man asked.

"No," Frayer shook his head. "It is impossible to leech any information from them. Even the most ordinary post guards and maids and butlers go through hellish training and screening."

"... what about the economy?"

"What about it?"

"Up, down, same?"

"Wobbly," Frayer said. "There have been a few decrees sent out by the Queen forcing merchants to maintain prices, but a lot of things are going out of stock fast since importing would result in massive losses."

"Speaking of the Queen," the man said and Frayer immediately held his breath. "What's that cunt up to?" both Lila and him nearly coughed a mouthful of blood, staring aghast at the man who seemed entirely unperturbed by what he said.

"She... khm, she is sending out decrees, often," Frayer said, gathering himself. "But... it is strange."

"Strange?"

"It's... khm, it's a lot of decrees."

"So, in your very 'I don't wanna insult my Queen' way, it seems she's doing so just to sew chaos?"

"..."

"Perhaps as a distraction?"

"..."

"What do you think?" he turned toward the woman and asked.

"It's possible," the woman shrugged. "But also irrelevant."

"Yup. Everything banks on the why," the man mumbled. "With everything going around the Kingdom, something's bubbling. I guess criminals are more out of the loop than I thought," the man sighed and glanced at the two. "Unless, of course, you have been holding back on me."

"N-no, of course not! I would never!" Frayer quickly said, sweating. "All I said was the truth as far as I know!"

"Good," the man finished his drink. "I like men who tell the truth. What's your name?"

"F-Frayer."

"Stay out of trouble, old man," he said as both he and the woman stood up. "And remember: Kings and Queens are about as important as the turd you shat out the last time. Until perchance some other time!"

Sylas and Asha left the building and began to wander the streets, trying to circle back to where the woman found them. On the way, they continued to discuss the possibilities. A lot of things seemed to be at play and, as it seemed to have been the case since day one, the most efficient way to realize just what the hell was happening... was to meet the King and the Queen face to face and just ask.

"A tall order," Asha scoffed.

"What if I pretended to be a messenger from some faraway Kingdom trying to get the Princess married into the Royalty here?" Sylas suddenly proposed much to Asha's shock. "What? You look exotic enough to be from a faraway place. And since you barely speak to other people as it is, it will create some level of mystique. The only issue is that we both look like we just walked out of living in the woods for a year, so we'd have to pretty up a bit. I can probably fabricate a thing or two to make us sound exotic."

"Wait, you are not actually considering this, are you?!" Asha grew wary.

"I am," Sylas replied seriously. "I am considering many things. Of course, I won't let anything actually happen to you, don't worry. If I could sell myself as an exotic Prince, I really would--but not even someone both blind and deaf would accept me as one. Alas."

"... just... haah. Just do whatever you want. You always do, anyway."

"I really do."

"Bastard."

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