Seeking Advice
Almost done with what I consider to be the 'background info' tales and then we can move on to the actual plot. *laugh*
One benefit of being the Spymaster to the Prince of Darkness was that it was impossible for anyone to sneak in or out of the palace without his knowing, and very easy to do so himself. Sahara's duties often took him out into the city, occasionally further, but it was rare that he went out for personal reasons. Still, it was not for duty that he slipped past the oblivious guards and made his way into the seedier parts of the city.
The Garden of Ruby Light was exactly as he had left it, safe in the hands of Thaelia, one of his oldest and most trusted employees. He slipped inside without notice, taking the back entrance, and silently let himself into his old office. It was occupied, which was only to be expected given the lateness of the evening, and Thaelia glanced up as he entered.
Her eyes widened. "Sahara!" She stood, coming around the desk to embrace him. "We were beginning to think you'd forgotten all about us," she chided affectionately.
"Just busy," Sahara replied with a smile. "There's always more to do than people to do it."
Thaelia shook her head. "I don't doubt." She hesitated. "Are you happy, Sahara? I know it's not like you could have said no, but..."
Sahara smiled ruefully. "Mostly. I like the challenge, and I was fine, up until recently."
Thaelia frowned. "Did something change? I haven't heard- oh!" Her hand flew to her mouth, and her eyes widened, then narrowed. "That halfblood General. What has he done?"
Sahara shook his head quickly. "It's not like that. I spent a month and a half trailing him, and as far as I can tell, he's genuine."
"Then what is it that troubles you?" Thaelia asked, puzzled.
"I..." Sahara bit his lip. "Have you ever wanted someone you couldn't have?"
Thaelia blinked. "I didn't think there was a man alive who could turn you down. Or a woman for that matter."
"He can't turn me down if I haven't asked."
Thaelia's eyes widened. "Sahara..."
Sahara scrubbed a hand through his hair, disarraying it. "I don't want to just bed him and be done with him, not this time. He's... different from the men I've known before. Honest. Loyal. I think he has more in common with the Prince of Shadows than with the type of men I usually prefer."
Thaelia arched a brow. "You realize you just called the Prince of Darkness honest."
Sahara grimaced. "Well he is, in his own way, once you get used to his games. He's never outright lied to me, just... not bothered to tell me certain things."
"I wonder if that's the reason for all the unrest," Thaelia murmured thoughtfully. "He's nothing at all like the Queen, and it's going to take people a while to adjust. If they can."
Sahara scowled. "They've had five years."
"Yes, but there's a lot to get used to. Her Majesty kept him out of the public eye, so no one knew what to expect when he took the throne after her assassination. I think most people expected he would simply follow in her footsteps, but he hasn't." Thaelia shook her head. "It would have been easier if he had."
Sahara shook his own head. "He wouldn't be himself if he didn't do things his own way. I'd rather follow this Prince than one who simply did as was expected of him."
Thaelia looked thoughtful. "You have a point there. If the Light were to attack, better to have a strong leader than a weak one. Although, it would be better if the nobility supported him. As it is now, they might side with the Light just to be contrary."
"I don't think anyone would dare, not now that he has the Lord General on his side. The entire palace is scared to death of that man." Sahara smiled faintly.
"One can hardly blame them." Thaelia shuddered. "Is it true that he cuts off the heads of people he takes exception to?"
Sahara shook his head. "Just the ones that try to kill him."
Thaelia shuddered again. "I'm glad I'm nowhere near there. I couldn't bear living so close to someone like that."
Sahara immediately opened his mouth to protest, then shut it. It wasn't her fault, she just didn't know the Lord General like Sahara did. None of the common people did, nor the majority of those who lived and worked in the palace. It seemed as though it was only Sahara and his Prince who had taken the time to try to understand the halfblood General, and even Sahara had only done so initially out of suspicion.
His Prince, though, he'd known from the start what sort of man the General was. Just as he'd known what Sahara was capable of, when Sahara had been nothing more than the owner and occasional employee of the Garden of Ruby Light. It wasn't a weakness, as Thaelia seemed to think. It was the greatest strength a man could ask for. Rather than taking months, or years, to get the measure of a man, what must it be like to know within minutes?
All of the tension within him seemed to ease. It would all work out, of that he was now certain. He still wasn't sure how to handle his own personal issues with the Lord General, but that was an entirely different problem, and one he didn't feel up to addressing just yet.
Sahara let a slow smile curve his lips. "Thaelia, I don't suppose you have an opening for the evening?"
Thaelia arched a brow. "Are you jesting? Profits have been down thirty-five percent since you left. Everyone in this city dreams of being the one to catch your eye for the evening."
Sahara laughed. "Hardly everyone." Especially one silver-eyed General. "But if you don't mind, I'm going to go change clothes."
Thaelia shooed him out, her eyes already alight with the thought of the money he would bring. Sahara went willingly, looking forward to an evening of mindless pleasure where he could for a short time forget what it was that he really wanted.
One benefit of being the Spymaster to the Prince of Darkness was that it was impossible for anyone to sneak in or out of the palace without his knowing, and very easy to do so himself. Sahara's duties often took him out into the city, occasionally further, but it was rare that he went out for personal reasons. Still, it was not for duty that he slipped past the oblivious guards and made his way into the seedier parts of the city.
The Garden of Ruby Light was exactly as he had left it, safe in the hands of Thaelia, one of his oldest and most trusted employees. He slipped inside without notice, taking the back entrance, and silently let himself into his old office. It was occupied, which was only to be expected given the lateness of the evening, and Thaelia glanced up as he entered.
Her eyes widened. "Sahara!" She stood, coming around the desk to embrace him. "We were beginning to think you'd forgotten all about us," she chided affectionately.
"Just busy," Sahara replied with a smile. "There's always more to do than people to do it."
Thaelia shook her head. "I don't doubt." She hesitated. "Are you happy, Sahara? I know it's not like you could have said no, but..."
Sahara smiled ruefully. "Mostly. I like the challenge, and I was fine, up until recently."
Thaelia frowned. "Did something change? I haven't heard- oh!" Her hand flew to her mouth, and her eyes widened, then narrowed. "That halfblood General. What has he done?"
Sahara shook his head quickly. "It's not like that. I spent a month and a half trailing him, and as far as I can tell, he's genuine."
"Then what is it that troubles you?" Thaelia asked, puzzled.
"I..." Sahara bit his lip. "Have you ever wanted someone you couldn't have?"
Thaelia blinked. "I didn't think there was a man alive who could turn you down. Or a woman for that matter."
"He can't turn me down if I haven't asked."
Thaelia's eyes widened. "Sahara..."
Sahara scrubbed a hand through his hair, disarraying it. "I don't want to just bed him and be done with him, not this time. He's... different from the men I've known before. Honest. Loyal. I think he has more in common with the Prince of Shadows than with the type of men I usually prefer."
Thaelia arched a brow. "You realize you just called the Prince of Darkness honest."
Sahara grimaced. "Well he is, in his own way, once you get used to his games. He's never outright lied to me, just... not bothered to tell me certain things."
"I wonder if that's the reason for all the unrest," Thaelia murmured thoughtfully. "He's nothing at all like the Queen, and it's going to take people a while to adjust. If they can."
Sahara scowled. "They've had five years."
"Yes, but there's a lot to get used to. Her Majesty kept him out of the public eye, so no one knew what to expect when he took the throne after her assassination. I think most people expected he would simply follow in her footsteps, but he hasn't." Thaelia shook her head. "It would have been easier if he had."
Sahara shook his own head. "He wouldn't be himself if he didn't do things his own way. I'd rather follow this Prince than one who simply did as was expected of him."
Thaelia looked thoughtful. "You have a point there. If the Light were to attack, better to have a strong leader than a weak one. Although, it would be better if the nobility supported him. As it is now, they might side with the Light just to be contrary."
"I don't think anyone would dare, not now that he has the Lord General on his side. The entire palace is scared to death of that man." Sahara smiled faintly.
"One can hardly blame them." Thaelia shuddered. "Is it true that he cuts off the heads of people he takes exception to?"
Sahara shook his head. "Just the ones that try to kill him."
Thaelia shuddered again. "I'm glad I'm nowhere near there. I couldn't bear living so close to someone like that."
Sahara immediately opened his mouth to protest, then shut it. It wasn't her fault, she just didn't know the Lord General like Sahara did. None of the common people did, nor the majority of those who lived and worked in the palace. It seemed as though it was only Sahara and his Prince who had taken the time to try to understand the halfblood General, and even Sahara had only done so initially out of suspicion.
His Prince, though, he'd known from the start what sort of man the General was. Just as he'd known what Sahara was capable of, when Sahara had been nothing more than the owner and occasional employee of the Garden of Ruby Light. It wasn't a weakness, as Thaelia seemed to think. It was the greatest strength a man could ask for. Rather than taking months, or years, to get the measure of a man, what must it be like to know within minutes?
All of the tension within him seemed to ease. It would all work out, of that he was now certain. He still wasn't sure how to handle his own personal issues with the Lord General, but that was an entirely different problem, and one he didn't feel up to addressing just yet.
Sahara let a slow smile curve his lips. "Thaelia, I don't suppose you have an opening for the evening?"
Thaelia arched a brow. "Are you jesting? Profits have been down thirty-five percent since you left. Everyone in this city dreams of being the one to catch your eye for the evening."
Sahara laughed. "Hardly everyone." Especially one silver-eyed General. "But if you don't mind, I'm going to go change clothes."
Thaelia shooed him out, her eyes already alight with the thought of the money he would bring. Sahara went willingly, looking forward to an evening of mindless pleasure where he could for a short time forget what it was that he really wanted.