Chapter Nine: Favour
Iolene has finished tea with the queen guards speaking. Aaron during the day has been working out and training with Constants' men. His new captain Mylan is a good man who is trained in the art of traditional sword and shield. Once worked in the palace guard, but he could not work there anymore but will not say why. Aaron beats his guards multiple times as Mylan is impressed by him. Aaron and he quickly become friends as they shared stories of fighting techniques.
Lexi and Lei watch on as they finished their sparring matches. Both wanted to see the queen. But Lei pointed out that it was meant to be a low-key affair. They watch on as they wonder how the tea went.
"Choose your weapon!" Mylan shouts. He is an older man in his forties. His beard starting grey as his face is covered with small scratches and scars. But Aaron notice's his hands are callused and scarred. Aaron glanced at his hands they are thick just like his and he touched Iolene's cheek with them. His heart sank as he thought of her. Sense took over him at that moment... He couldn't kiss her...
Aaron unsheathing his greatsword revealing it to everyone. The blade shining in the sunlight as Aaron gets into his stance. Mylan unsheathes his standard sword and shield. Walking around the arena facing each other as Constants home guards watched in anticipation.
Aaron begins as he strikes first, and sword dancing begins. Myland is a force with his shield as he pushes Aaron away. Constants' head steward Gervais rushes into the arena. "Excuse me! Sorry!" Aaron and Mylan stop as they look at him as he rushes to Aaron. Hearing the disappointment from the guards watching. Gervais is a lanky man with a long face, is not the fittest man. Breathing heavily as he tries to regain his breath. "My-my-my" He puffs. "My lord and- Mali- request-" Puffing. "Your presence -" Puff "Aaron... In the lord's office."
Mylan and Aaron look at each other and bow. The fight is over as Lexi and Lei enter the arena to spar with the other guards.
Aaron sits in Constant's office alone. Sitting on the chair Mali sat on many months ago. He sighs as he looks at the small statue on the desk. He wanted to pick it up for a closer look but knew he shouldn't. It was a turquoise dragon statue. It has a small glow that it stood out amongst all the other opulent items in the mansion.
Aaron then looks down at his hands. That moment at the tree... He wanted to kiss her... He was so close. He smelt her perfume that lingers in his mind. She's so beautiful... I can never deserve her. His train of thought is disturbed as Constant and Mali open the door and walk inside. Aaron looks at them with a blank face. He felt like a child again seeing adults with serious thoughts behind their eyes. Aaron wanted to stand and bow but Mali gestured with his right hand not to.
"Hello, Aaron," Mali says cheerfully. Same with Constant afterwards just as cheery.
"Hey..." Aaron said with uncertainty.
"We have a small favour to ask of you." Constant going straight to the point.
"A favour? What kind of favour?" Aaron asks. He is still getting used to the idea of a "favour". His whole life he is used to being ordered to do a task. But Aaron did like what people are asking him. However, his mind lingered that he might not have a choice in the matter.
"The Queen and King are hosting a masquerade ball. Iolene has been invited by the Queen herself." Constant smiles.
"Oh!" Aaron says happily. Iolene must have impressed the Queen! Iolene has always wanted to go to a ball. Cannot imagine her excitement at this very moment. "So... Will I be protecting her?"
"No, that will not be your job. Stein and I will be there." Mali says softly. "Your job is to sneak around the palace. To discover the King's dirty secrets."
Aaron swallowed hard. "Sneak?" Asking nervously. "For the kings, dirty secrets?" Aaron struggled to think of this favour. He is no sneak, he is no thief... He is a warrior.
"Wouldn't the Mordecai be more suited for this job?" Aaron suggests.
Constant sighs as he sits on his chair on the other side of the desk. He really didn't want to speak about Mordecai's affairs. But it is a fair question. It is why the Mordecai was created. But after what the queen told them many of them cannot be trusted. The organisation is falling apart and now there are fewer members than ever.
"We need someone who we can trust, Aaron. The Mordecai is in a dangerous situation. They are low in numbers... A situation that is surprising, yet not... They have turned against themselves. They no longer abide by their codes..." Constant says seriously.
Aaron sighs with visible annoyance. Who would have thought a group of assassins that kill for money eventually self-destructs.
"What about Lexi?" Aaron asks. "She is perfectly capable of such a task."
"She is a guest," Mali says. "I hate to say it Aaron you were the only one who wasn't actually invited."
Aaron nods as he is not shocked in the slightest... He knows where they are going with this. He remained silent until they say those words.
"We need you to go undercover as a slave..." Constant says. He didn't have the pleasure of saying it. But using Aaron like this is an easy option for entrance into the palace.
Aaron swallows hard and leans back on his chair. "What would I have to look for?" He asks seriously. It will be a challenge... A very hard one. He would have to be careful, otherwise, he will have the friend of a hangman's noose. It would be foolish to try and protect a slave... It will be a risk of social status.
Constant and Mali look at each other for a moment.
"Any kind of scandal... Affairs, money laundering, affiliations of self political interests" Constant shrugs. The more scandals Aaron discovers the more the aristocrats, viscounts, senators and ambassadors will look down on the King.
"Don't they all do that though?" Aaron scoffs with a smile.
Constant grins along with Aaron, "All hypocrites I know... " Constant says. "It is how they fight their battles. Not with swords but with words and reputation. But the words have to be true... Any rumours that are proven false can be turned against you. The Queen believes her husband is secretly becoming close friends with the Black Draconium Empire. Too close for the Queen's liking... Find the King's dirty laundry... And air it out. The more the merrier... Giving plenty of people fuel to kill him..."
"Alright..." Aaron replies.
"Also Aaron..." Mali said excitedly and grabs Aaron's hand. Surprising him. "Aaron... I spoke to the Queen and..." Mali tried his hardest to find this into words. "If you succeed in this task and the King fails and is dethroned. The Queen shall set you free."
"What?" Aaron says breathlessly. Tears begin to swell in his eyes, he looked so innocent as he said it. "I won't be a slave anymore?"
"No! With the Queen's approval, she can use Manumission. Sending papers to Dominus Sahara to your previous enslaver Isil. Notifying the change... And since I am your current enslaver. I can easily say yes! Free this man in the slavery books. Your name in your documents will say that you are a freed man... "
Aaron's face could not be described, bewildered, happiness, the range of emotions that happens in seconds.
"Aaron!" Constant getting his attention. "You cannot tell anyone about this, even Iolene. Understood? We have a few months before the gala."
Aaron nods as he accepted the challenge.
Mali presents Aaron and Constant each with a glass of wine. They raise their glasses.
"Aaron, welcome to the Mille Voix game." Constant says as they clink their glasses together.
"Let us begin... " Constant saying with some confidence.