The white brocade walls were lined in gilded gold trim, pink and white satin swag hung from sparkling brass and crystal sconces, and dozens of tall, lush sprays of pink roses and red lilies were spread around the ballroom. The adjacent dining room housed a pair of marble-topped tables the length of a basketball court, a stripe of fresh pink rose petals acting as a table runner beneath dense clusters of red lilies rising up from silver urns. The hundred-fifty abandoned place settings near by were so formal that the array of silverware at the majority of the seats appeared almost unused, as most of the guests were unsure of what to do with the third or fourth fork in the arsenal.
As could be expected of one of the wealthiest families in the world, the Goldschmidt's estate on the outskirts of Paris was luxurious from cellar to attic, but the rarely used grand ballroom and dining room werenothing short of opulent, and made even more extravagant for the wedding reception.
The cake, once very nearly too pretty to eat, had been cut and served, it's remains now slowly collapsing into a pile of devil's food rubble in the center of the wreath of pink roses that encircled it's faded glory. The banquet having been effectively concluded, the glossy, expansive dance floor was now densely populated with elegant guests, along with the bride and groom.
Saya had completely forgotten the inherent challenges of dancing with someone that was a foot and a half taller than herself, her arm was getting sore from having to reach up above her own head in order to grasp his shoulder.
That slight ache in her arm called her mind to long past, and virtually forgotten early years of their friendship. Once they had moved past their initial discord, she took it into her head to teach Haji all sorts of things, most famously, how to play cello, but also how to read, write, draw, paint, ride, fence, crochet, embroider, speak English, speak German, speak Latin, virtually every skill she had acquired in her forty-odd years of life was passed to her protégé with condescending looks and stern criticism.
But as she and her groom twirled across the floor, she recalled how she had taught him to dance as well, though at the beginning, their positions were reversed. She was taller, and she was always the one to lead.
She glanced up at him and as her eyes met his gentle stare, she got the distinct impression that he was thinking of the same thing.
"Haji, when was the last time you danced?"
Not knowing that the question had arisen out of nearly random curiosity, he wondered if she had been thinking of the last time she had danced, just over three decades ago. His heart sank a little, though it hardly mattered as it had been up in the clouds to begin with, well above the elevation usually attributed to sublime happiness.
"You know when."
It had been the morning before the Zoo tragedy, a little practice in preparation for the ball that turned out to be a massacre.
As the current song came to an end, and the couple turned toward the sound of a soft "Pardon me." Neither was even remotely surprised to find Solomon standing near by.
He didn't even need to ask. With a soft sigh of resignation, Haji stepped aside, allowing his wife's former lover to cut in.
"I'm so glad I finally got a chance to dance with you again."
Her hand now resting at a more comfortable height, she glanced up at him, finding his eyes politely averted.
"Me too," Saya forced her self to murmur out loud.
A few bars of music passed.
"How are you feeling?" he asked tenderly.
"Alright. Kind of tired, I guess, didn't get much sleep last night."
He chuckled at her naïve misinterpretation of his question.
"I mean, how does this feel?" His hand left her waist and rested lightly over her lower belly before returning to its former position.
Her entire face flushed as her widened eyes glanced nervously around the room, fearing that someone might have seen the gesture. Fortunately it appeared they hadn't.
"U-um," she stuttered quietly, "I cant really feel anything yet."
"Have you consulted Dr. Silverstein?"
"Y-yes," she answered.
"And what did she have to say?"
"U-um," she said, still stuttering, "she said that it should be over a year before I start showing any– signs."
"I see. Have you and Haji given any thought to names?"
"No," she said as her blush renewed itself.
He smiled. "I was wondering, and you are under no obligation to actually consider this, but, would you mind if I contributed a suggestion?"
She looked up at him. "Of course not."
He paused a moment. "I was thinking, perhaps Rosette and Lisette. I was inspired by your floral motif," he said, briefly gesturing to a nearby arrangement of roses and lilies.
He felt a burst of warmth in his chest as her face lit up.
"That's perfect!" she exclaimed excitedly, loud enough to attract the attention of a few nearby couples. Her voice lowered. "I mean, I'll have to talk to Haji about it."
He smiled as he nodded. "I understand."
They continued to dance in silence until the piece had nearly finished.
"I know that according to our agreement, Haji will be the one to act as their father, but, if it's alright with you, I would like to be a part of their lives."
She smiled. "You will always be welcome in our home."
The meter of the song slowed as the melody prepared to resolve up to it's final tonic.
Saya looked up at Solomon as their feet stopped moving. She had been making a conscious effort not to think about him, or what had passed between them a few weeks ago, but in that moment, she felt that she owed it to him to say something.
"Solomon -"
She stopped herself, realizing that nothing she could say, no words of gratitude or apology could ever quite equal what he had done and gone through for her sake.
Ironically, this prompted her to do something far more intimate, and though well meaning, infinitely more cruel.
She placed a warm, ever so slightly lingering kiss on his cheek. His throat tightened and his eyes fell shut.
Haji stood at the other end of room, averting his gaze from the gesture.
She flashed a warm smile as she turned to walk away. Solomon's hand unconsciously made its way up to his face, resting on his cheek as if to trap the kiss against his skin, disallowing it's escape or evaporation. His eyes followed her as she made her way across the room to her husband.
In that moment, both Solomon and Saya thought exactly the same thing.
It's only ever been Haji.
It was nearly eleven, the lights had been turned up, the music had been turned down, and most of the guests had taken the hint and left. Only the wedding party and a few of their close friends remained, most of them assisting in the clean up.
Kai stood atop a chair as he struggled to pull some swag down from the wall.
"Anybody got some scissors?"
No response from those standing nearby.
"A pocket knife? Anything sharp?"
He turned to find Haji standing beside him, silently offering him one of his red-jeweled daggers.
"Um, thanks. I guess that'll work."
Yuki leaned over to whisper to her husband. "Jeez, the guy came armed to his own wedding!"
"Can you blame him?" Freddie replied, his eyes gesturing toward the blond man across the room. Freddie assumed his thinker pose. "Hmm. I wonder where Haji keeps those daggers now…"
"What do you mean, now?" Yuki asked curiously.
Freddie turned to his wife with a grin. "Well, judging by his attitude for the past few decades up until yesterday, I think it's safe to say where he used to keep them."
Yuki pondered this for a moment before giggling childishly, not unlike her late daughter. "Teehehe, up his butt!"
"Yes my love, but when you say it aloud like that, it destroys the subtlety," he laughed.
"Oh, okay." She glanced over at the groom again. "Someone tell Haji to stop smiling, it's kinda creeping me out."
Freddie nodded. "I suppose the expression does look somewhat out of place on him, I have a feeling that of the people in this room, Saya's the only one who's ever seen the elusive Haji-smile."
Solomon had busied himself by walking up the length of the long banquet table, helping to gather the centerpieces. It wasn't the sort of work he usually engaged in, but over the years, he had learned that one of the best ways to stave of despair is to keep occupied, as he had during the years of unfulfilling toil in the service of Amshel's plots.
Young Joel was walking along the other side of the grand table, gathering the place card holders.
"Hey Solomon, 'sit true that you used ta' be Diva's – er- thingamajig - Chevalier?" Joel asked from across the table. Though not quite drunk, he had clearly had a glass more than he probably should have.
"At one time, yes, I was."
Joel considered this for a moment. "How th'hell d'you end up with us?"
Solomon spent a few moments in a silent internal debate as to the most polite way to say I really don't feel like talking about it right now, when Kai suddenly joined the conversation.
"I can answer that question," he declared. "So, one day, in about, say, 2007, I just got the twins down for a nap when someone rings the bell. So I stomp down stairs, and as I open the door I say We're closed, cant you read- but then, I see that standing on my front door step is none other than Nathan Mahler and Solomon Goldsmith! So, I'm all like OH SHIT! and I do what anyone would do when faced with unwanted guests – I slammed the door in their faces. I mean, if there's anything scarier than two enemy Chevaliers, its two enemy Chevaliers that you thought were dead until they show up at your door. So, I run across the room, jump over the bar and start tearing through the cupboard, looking for my gun, cause I know damn well that the door wont hold 'em for long. So, I find my gun, but of course its not loaded – I mean I've got young kids in the house for god sake! And I cant for the life of me remember where I put the bullets." He laughed. "And it's then that I realize that Nathan and Solomon are already inside, they must've zoomed in while I was closing the door – you know how Chevaliers are.
"So, I'm standing there, pointing my colt at two guys who it wouldn't do any good on even if it was loaded. I damn near pissed myself." He laughed again. "So, even then it didn't take a genius to figure out why they showed up – obviously it had something to do with the twins. So I say I wont let you take them, as badass-like as I can, and Nathan says -," Kai began to speak in an effeminate, stereotypically gay voice, "Honey, we have just as much right to see those kids as you do. You're their uncle, and so are we, and then Solomon says something along the lines of -," his tone became exaggeratedly gentle and calm, "please understand, we are only here to help, we have absolutely no intention of taking the children from you." Kai took a moment to laugh along with Joel before continuing, "So I pretty much have to give 'em a chance – what am I gonna do, fight 'em off? I figure, hell, they both saved Saya's life at least once, maybe they aren't all bad." He paused for comedic effect. "And that, my friend, is how I ended up with two enemy Chevaliers helping me raise my kids."
Joel continued to howl with laughter for a few seconds, before remembering what his initial question was. He turned to Solomon, "Oh, I get it, you came over t'our side 'cause Diva was dead and you wanted t'hang out with th'twins!"
Solomon lied with an affirmative nod as Joel wandered off. Solomon turned to face Kai.
"Thank you," he said sincerely, having no doubt that Kai had intentionally rescued him from Joel's awkward question.
"No problem. I still owe you from Cristina Island."
Mao approached the two men, brows knitted sternly. "Commiserating?"
"About what?" Kai groaned.
Solomon sensed some slight marital discord and decided to leave them to their bickering.
"About your precious Saya getting married," Mao stated, her tone bitingly sarcastic, though with a slight note of real frustration.
Kai shook his head and glared. "Will you ever just drop that?!"
Mao smirked, feeling a strange sense of pride at getting him to nearly acknowledge what was once so obvious to her.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm totally happy for Saya. Can't have been easy being the tree in the center of that three-way territorial pissing-match."
"You mean two-way!"
"Honestly Kai, you're either a liar, or you have amnesia worse than she does." She chortled slightly. "Or maybe your just an idiot."
Kai threw his head back and groaned. "Yeah, well, it's been a while since I've been your idiot, so will you give it a damn rest?"
A few feet away, Saya's dress rustled as she fell back on one of the elegant couches lining the walls of the ballroom, letting out a deep sigh as she shut her eyes and rested her head on the golden silk upholstered arm. Without thinking, Solomon made his way over to Saya and stood beside her husband.
"Just resting my eyes for a sec," she mumbled.
She was fast asleep within seconds.
A minute or two later, Kai appeared between her two grooms, laughing to himself when he caught sight of the sleeping bride. "What is it with her and falling asleep at parties?"
The two Chevaliers looked at Kai, neither having any idea what he was talking about.
"Never mind," Kai said as he walked away, leaving the two Chevaliers standing side by side, watching their sleeping Queen.
After a minute or two of silent observation, Solomon turned to his co-Chevalier.
"Haji, might I have a word with you outside?"
With a slight nod of his head, Haji headed toward the door, followed by Solomon.
This piqued the interest of the ancient Chevalier standing at the other end of the room.
"Be right back," he mentioned to his wife.
"Where are you going?"
"Solomon and Haji are having a talk outside, I'm going to make sure they don't kill each other," he said casually.
"Oh, good idea."
The grounds were lit with iridescent globes that sat atop elegant waist-high pillars, lining the cobblestone pathways through a plaza of roses. The garden housed hundreds of different cultivars, though none had yet immerged from winter dormancy, but the area had been dressed up with a spectacular bulb garden, hundreds of early tulips and hyacinths taking the focus off the bare, thorny rose canes.
The two rivals emerged from the chateau into the still night air, brisk with the chill of early spring, making their way through the frost-covered grounds of the Goldscmidt's estate. Solomon stopped and turned to the husband of the woman he loved, not knowing they were both under the watchful eyes of his elder brother, monitoring them from behind a tall hedge.
"Haji, several months ago, you and I agreed to a suspension of hostilities, but I am calling off the truce-" Haji tensed for a fraction of a second during Solomon's brief pause, "- in favor of outright and permanent peace."
Haji's posture loosened slightly as Solomon continued. "In light of today's events, animosity between us has become completely pointless." Solomon let out a slight sigh. "Perhaps it was pointless all along, fighting amongst ourselves as if the outcome actually mattered. In retrospect, the only thing that ever mattered were her feelings, and she has made those quite clear. I realize it is unlikely that either of us will ever truly be able to let bygones be bygones, after all, your wife is carrying my children, but for the sake of familial tranquility, don't you think we'd best forgive, if not forget?"
Haji maintained his usual stoic expression and said nothing, giving no indication as to his feelings about Solomon's offer. Solomon studied his features for clues on the subject, to no avail.
"You really are a hard man to read, Haji," Solomon said with a note of exasperation.
Haji took a moment to respond. "One could say the same about you."
Solomon considered this for a moment. "I never thought about it that way, but I guess you're right. I think you and I are both more complicated than first impressions might suggest. We both of us hide our passions behind a mask of calm composure." Solomon chuckled to himself. "That similarity in mind, perhaps someday, we'll grow on each other."
"Anything is possible," Haji stated. His cold response had less to do with holding a grudge than it did being able to see through the friendly pretense to what Solomon's real goal most likely was. Haji's taciturn nature and century and a half of life had enabled him to observe a great deal of human behavior, and had consequently acquired the interpersonal insight to see through artifice in most cases. He had a strong feeling that Solomon's attempts at reconciliation was most likely motivated by a desire to remain as close to Saya as possible - and no doubt attempt to cuckold him at the first available opportunity.
Of course, he was at least partially right. Solomon had indeed realized that to be at odds with Haji was to be at odds with Saya, thus making peace with Haji was essential if he wished to maintain any sort of relationship with her. While he did have some true inclination towards fence-mending, Saya's affection was his main goal, and at that point he felt that platonic intimacy was better than nothing.
Solomon gave his rival his signature, amiable smile. "The way I see it, if we're not enemies, we may as well attempt to be friends, for her sake, if nothing else."
"We will see."
Solomon extended his hand.
Despite suspecting Solomon's ulterior motives, after a moment of hesitation, Haji returned the gesture. The two shook hands as if they were opposing generals at the end of a war.
Their eyes met, silently communicating their mutual hatred and gratitude toward one another.
Haji turned to leave.
"Wait. There is something else."
Haji turned around to face his defeated foe as he continued. "There's something I need to tell you about Saya," he paused, "and Vietnam."
Haji said nothing, but his attentive expression made it clear that he was listening.
"The whole thing was a trap." Solomon lowered his gaze, but continued to speak frankly. "I know, because I planned it."
"A trap?"
"Yes. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that during the early 1970s, the Red Shield formed an alliance with the US military. This was detrimental to my brother Amshel's long-term goals, and I was charged with the task of destroying that alliance." His voice lowered. "I was the one who orchestrated it but Carl was the one to actually carry it out, since it was necessary for me to remain in Paris in order to adequately delay the peace conferences and prolong the war. My orders to Carl were to use our prototypical chiropterans to antagonize the US military in Vietnam, so as to force them to call in the Red Shield, and then to escalate the attacks in order to make it clear that you and the other agents would not be able to handle the situation with out Saya. We knew from experiments with Diva, that if Saya were to be forcefully brought out of hibernation, she wouldn't become completely conscious, but instead would say in a primal state of emergency self preservation, and would react violently if even slightly startled. Carl was to use the chiropterans to attack whatever location was chosen for the awakening, so that chaotic atmosphere would ensure maximum bloodshed. It was our hope that if the Red Shield's secret weapon killed enough US servicemen, the Americans would break ties with them, creating an opening for Goldsmith Holdings. Once a suitable number of Americans casualties had been caused, Carl was to -" Solomon inhaled deeply, "kill her, if possible, but that was never a priority of mine." He put emphasis on the last half. "The plan seemed perfect at the time, and in terms of our primary objective, it functioned flawlessly. " He paused. "The truth is, she killed those people only because she was manipulated into doing so. She was a puppet, not a monster." His eyes closed and he grimaced. "And I was one of the people holding the strings."
Solomon raised his eyes to meet Haji's, finding an understandably hostile expression."Haji, you must understand, I was only following orders. I had no choice in the matter." His tone lost it's subtly defensive quality. "I will not waste your time with impotent apologies, but I do hope that my actions during the past few years have done something to make up for the pain I caused for both of you."
Haji's hands had formed into tight fists.
"Haji, I am telling you all of this out of an earnest desire to help her. I know she feels a great deal of guilt over the incident, and it is my hope that the information I have just given you may someday serve to lessen that guilt. I have come to the conclusion that you should be the one to tell her when the time is right, as I believe it is clear that you are best suited to easing her pain. Whether you tell her the degree of my involvement is up to you."
Haji nodded, acknowledging Solomon's statement, but still to incensed to respond verbally. To find out that Solomon had been behind that horrible incident… Fortunately, it is much easier to forgive someone for the worst day of your life when you are currently experiencing the best day of your life.
Haji made his way back into the mansion, as Solomon stood outside, alone with his thoughts.
"That was very big of you."
Solomon let out a subtle groan.
"Nathan, can't you please just leave me alone."
"No, I don't think I will." He sighed. "I am rather proud of you, you know. That little scene with Haji was absolutely fabulous, and your smiles as she approached the altar were almost convincing. If it were up to me, you get an Oscar for your performance today – or perhaps a Nobel peace prize would be more suitable - now there would be some serious irony. Either way, it's good to see that you've grown up a little, Solomon. After all, you'll be a father soon."
He took a few seconds to respond. "Not really. I'll never be any more to my daughters than I have been to Aka and Ruka."
"And what's wrong with that? You'll be able to spoil them and brag about them, but poopy-diapers and surly teenagers won't be your problem, it's a pretty sweet deal, if you ask me. Besides, they won't be able to hide the children's true paternity for ever, even if they want to – when your twins come of age, someone's going to explain chiropteran reproduction to them, including the fact that a Queen cannot conceive with her own Chevalier. From there, the truth should be fairly obvious to them."
Solomon said nothing, almost completely ignoring his brother as he watched Haji immerge from the chateau again, carrying a still-sleeping Saya in the manner most befitting the occasion. As the couple passed, he caught a glimpse of the tiny smile she wore in her sleep as her husband carried her off to the waiting car like an exhausted child after a day at an amusement park.
Freddie placed his hand on his younger brother's shoulder. "It really is one of life's crueler ironies, that some times the best proof of how much you love someone is in how you let them go."
Solomon stood, biting his lip slightly as he continued to watch another man make off with his family.
"I'm afraid that this couldn't have been avoided," Freddie sighed. "Now that I think about it, you were doomed to fall in love with her from the start."
"I love her with my heart Nathan, not my blood," Solomon replied somberly.
"And what is a heart with out blood? What is blood with out a heart?" Freddie asked rhetorically. "They inherently effect one another. It is true that your Chevalier's blood intrinsically makes you lust after the sister of your Queen, but I think it has been some time since you have proven that your feelings for Saya go far beyond that. At the same time, I do find it rather strange that you could fall so deeply in love even though in reality, you barely knew her."
"One dance is all it took for Romeo and Juliet," Solomon muttered.
Freddie rolled his eyes. "If you don't knock it off with that analogy, I'm going to put you on suicide watch," he groaned. "I'm sure your blood had something to do with you falling in love with her, but I don't think it was the real cause. You loved Diva just as passionately as your jackass little brothers, but unlike them, you were able to recognize that she was incapable of loving you back, so instead of going into deep denial or loosing your mind, you moved on, supposedly leaving those feelings in the past." He paused for dramatic effect, before resuming in a soft, whimsical tone. "And then, from what I understand, one night, in Vietnam, you met a girl with Diva's face and a human heart. No, your love for Saya has very little to do with your blood."
Solomon shot a subtle glare at his older brother. "Nathan, I am quite sick of you presuming to know how I feel."
"Only an insensitive idiot would ever presume to know how someone else feels – and I'm not an idiot. While it is true that I too, once watched the girl of my fancy get married to someone else, I would still never claim to know what you're going through. I was simply stating the obvious."
Solomon tried to remain silent for a while, having learned that the only way to get rid of his older brother was to bore him, but before that could happen, he recalled something.
"Come to think of it, there is something I would like to say to you, Nathan."
"Hmm?"
"I would like thank you."
The ancient Chevalier grinned victoriously. "For what, exactly?"
"If it wasn't for your actions, your scheming, Saya would have died that day on Kaho'olawe."
Freddie chuckled. "On a day like this, it figures you'd thank me only for that, not for nursing your crumbling ass thirty years ago, arranging your reproductive rendezvous, or for making sure you didn't die from it," he laughed again. "But I will graciously accept your gratitude, seeing as no matter how long I live, the joy of being able to say I told you so never diminishes." He smirked. "I told you, you would thank me."
Solomon shook his head. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you managed to make everything go your way," he paused and chuckled in spite of himself, "he is of cunning more than mortal, for his cunning be the growth of ages."
Freddie's smirk expanded into a wide grin. "Oh delightful boy! You're quoting my favorite book!"
"Favorite? I honestly never would have guessed."
"Are you kidding? No matter what mood I'm in, it never fails to make me laugh, God bless that Irishman and his silly imagination!" He paused. "I suppose there is good deal of truth in your implication, that I'm an insidious blood-sucking monster," he let out a dramatic sinister laugh in a baritone voice quite different from that of his last two known incarnations. "But I assure you, it'll take a good deal more than wooden stakes and Catholic paraphernalia to spoil my plans."
"Either way, it would seem that you've managed to make everything work out perfectly for you." Solomon said quietly as he glanced over at Yuki, waiting in the doorway of the chateau, and then shifted his gaze aimlessly toward the horizon. "But I suppose happy endings aren't for everybody."
"Ending? What do you mean ending? You're not dead! And besides, I think if there's anything the past year has taught us, it's that dying isn't necessarily the end for our kind." Freddie sighed yet again. "I know that no self-pitying-recently-dumped person wants to hear this, but you have your whole life ahead of you, and in your case, that's quite a while, you have lived only a tiny fraction of your potential life span. There truly isn't a doubt in my mind that eventually, you'll find what you're searching for."
"Whatever you say, Nathan," Solomon muttered dismissivley as he turned to leave.
"Did you come in your own car?" Freddie called after him.
"Yes."
The ancient Chevalier appeared in front of him. "Then I suppose you could give us a ride?" he asked sweetly, batting his eyelashes and pursing his lips along with the melodramatic plea.
"No, Nathan."
"Aww! C'mon! What kind of jerk makes his brother call a cab?!"
Solomon drew in a deep breath. "Nathan, I have had a very trying day, and would very much like to just go home, and have some time to myself."
"Nonsense! It's times like this when one most needs company."
Solomon knew, possibly better than anyone else, that his older brother would always manage to get his way, so rather than being pestered or further manipulated, he reluctantly acquiesced.
"Fine. I'll go get the car," he said flatly as he walked down the long, cobblestone driveway.
Once Solomon was out of earshot, Freddie addressed his ever-present imaginary audience.
"Villain with a heart of gold? Hero with a black past? No, he's a person on a quest to get what he wants, just like everyone else I've ever had the pleasure or misfortune to know. But the funny thing about wants is-"
Freddie chuckled and began to sing in a near perfect Mick Jagger impersonation.
"I saw her today at the reception, in her glass was a bleeding man, she was practiced at the art of deception, well I could tell by her blood-stained hands."
He began to sing even louder.
"You can't always get what you want – you cant always get what you want – you cant always get what you want - but if you try sometimes, you just might find…"
Yuki appeared beside her husband, and the song was discontinued.
Freddie smirked as he turned to his Queen. "You know, when Solomon said there's something I need to tell you about Saya, for a second there, I thought the next thing he would say would be she really likes it when ya' slap her ass while you're tappin' it, or something like that."
"Freddie! That's my daughter you're talking about!" Yuki's tone changed from chiding to amusement. "But boy, if Solomon had said that, I think this lovely garden would be covered with gobs of guts and blond hair."
Freddie pinched his hint of a beard. "True, true, Haji is more powerful than he lets on, or at least he is when he's really, really pissed."
Yuki glanced at the Chevalier shrinking in the distance.
"Freddie, do you feel bad?"
"Of course I do, what feeling person wouldn't upon seeing their little brother's dearest dream shattered?"
Yuki shook her head. "I mean, do you feel bad for the part you played in all of this?"
"Not at all," the ancient Chevalier answered promptly, "believe me, my love, Solomon brought this on himself. All I did was give him a little shove down a path he choose entirely on his own."
"I kinda feel sorry for him."
"Well, don't pity him too much, he did get one hell of a consolation prize, and was fortunate enough to survive the encounter."
"That's true, it was nice of you to arrange the rescue."
"Not really. While it did have something to do with genuinely caring about the boy, to be honest, there were other reasons."
"Like what?"
"Waste not, want not." Freddie said with a smirk. "I may have use for him yet." He glanced at the sports car slowly approaching them. "But for now, he'll have to accept the life of a dowager knight."
"I still feel sorry for him."
"Well, don't be taken in by all this poise and politesse in the face of being ill used, I think his pleasant behavior today had a little more to do with preserving some shred of pride than making others happy."
"He was an excellent Groom though."
Her companion nodded. "Indeed. An excellent Groom." He paused and sighed. "It is a Consort's destiny to spend the rest of eternity by the side of his Queen, but Grooms are made only to be used and thrown away. I managed to escape that fate, but surprisingly enough, Solomon has played his role perfectly. Bravo brother, Bravo."
A few more chapters left…
I would like to take this opportunity to officially endorse and recommend Lullabyes' Bloodstone, which could be read as an alternate ending for Where Black Met Gold, and is shaping up to be an excellent piece in it's own right. Check it out!
You Can't Always Get What You Want = Rolling Stones, Jagger/Richards.