Heyyyy everyone! First off, apologizes for the weird errors with the last few chapters but hopefully that won't happen anymore. Secondly, after much meditation and contemplation and soul-searching, I've realized that I've made a terrible mistake and Francis Dolarhyde should've been PRUSSIAN not RUSSIAN. So I am making an edit so that's what happens. Please don't be too upset or confused if you see his country of origins has changed.
Enjoy this error-free chapter! And as always, if you enjoy please leave a review/favorite/anyfeedback. Thanks!
Out of the corner of his eye, Will was aware of Hannibal staring at him.
"I'm not changing," he said definitively. Hannibal looked at him with an innocent smile.
"I didn't ask you to," he said. "Although it is an admirable idea."
Will sighed and turned to face the king, who was sitting comfortably in his vibrant purple suit. He had a white sash dotted with medals draped across his chest. He'd been ready nearly an hour ago. Will hadn't even changed out of his travel clothes.
"You and I have different definitions of what an 'admirable idea' is," Will said bitterly. Hannibal arched his eyebrow. Will frowned at him and impulsively decided to take advantage of his good mood to ask, "Hannibal, did you share my family's history with any of the nobles?"
Again, Hannibal covered his face with a mask of innocence. Will could see some amusement peeking out from under it.
"I would never betray your trust in such a way," Hannibal said sincerely. His mask fell away as he added, "However, I do have a suspicion of whom it may have been. I'd be much more open to discussing this topic if you'd change into something more fitting the occasion."
"We've just returned from traveling," Will said. "I'd say that my traveling suit fits the occasion perfectly."
Hannibal's eyebrows pushed together into a faint pained expression. Will felt his resolve weakening.
"Who was it?" he asked, keeping his voice unflinching. Hannibal smiled and looked down at the teacup he just picked up. Will's mouth fell open slightly. He closed his eyes and lamented, "Freddie."
"Might I suggest the garnet suit?" Hannibal said, his smiled growing. Will mumbled a reply as he entered his own room.
The guestlist of the dinner was much larger than Will was anticipating, but luckily he had summoned more royal guards than he originally needed and now it made up for the difference. That didn't change the fact that Will was now forced to interact with more people.
Before the dinner began, the king paused to make an introduction.
"I'd like to announce, and personally welcome, Sir Francis Dolarhyde, Prussian ambassador," Hannibal said, raising his wineglass. "Welcome."
The ambassador intrigued Will. He was quiet and held himself with an air of dignity and a hint of austerity. It was a drastic contrast to the English nobles. The man seemed to have the same reaction that Will had had to them. Will continued to watch the man until he saw Countess Bloom.
Her face was a welcome one after his increasing feeling of claustrophobia. She had been seated rather far away from Will during dinner but it allowed time for him to devise an idea. Suddenly the abundant supply of people became advantageous. Of course this encouraged Will to make every effort to appear engaged in conversation, both with the king and his subjects. The conversation topics were mainly about the king's adventures in the country, which Will had experienced enough of. He was caught drastically off guard, and nearly choked on his wine, when a noblewoman asked him, "Sir William, is it true you killed a fully grown bear with only your hands?"
The rest of the nobility chuckled at his jolt. He put his wine glass down and wiped his mouth before answering.
"I-, no. Where did you hear that?" he asked.
"The rumor's been traveling around the court," Baron Tobias spoke up. "I have heard it too. And surely a rumor of that extent has some basis in truth?"
Will scrunched his nose and noticed that a few faces had turned to join the conversation.
"I did kill a grizzly animal," he finally answered. He couldn't help but smile at his own cleverness. "But I had more than just my bare hands and it certainly wasn't fully grown. I'd say it was much more juvenile than that."
"Is it true that the creature killed a servant girl?" Another noblewoman asked, leaning in eagerly. Will's smile faded.
"Yes. I'm afraid that's one unfortunate similarity between the city and the country," Will glanced up at Hannibal. "Death inhabits both."
A laugh sprung up from a few seats away. Will's lips frowned with irritation. The Archbishop slammed his hand on the table, making Hannibal's eye twitch.
"Sir Graham, you are so gloomy," Mason said. "You speak of death as if it's the end. We all know that He awaits us after life. That servant girl is in good hands. Unless, of course, she was unfaithful."
Before Will could reply, Hannibal stepped in.
"I take faithfulness very seriously," he said. "It is a top quality I look for in my servants."
"It is a top quality that He looks for in His servants as well," Archbishop agreed. Will resigned himself to not rejoin the conversation, not thinking it wise to speak with the Archbishop for much longer. Thankfully, the dinner ended soon afterwards and Hannibal invited the men into the main parlor. As the women were escorted to their own parlor, Will noticed the Archbishop leaving with them. He took advantage of the opportunity, and quickly gave Hannibal his excuse before trailing after Mason.
Will was hardly surprised to discover the Archbishop bothering one of the noblewomen he'd managed to isolate. The woman was clearly distressed until Will appeared behind the Archbishop.
"Archbishop Verger," he said, his voice firm and deadly. The Archbishop glanced at him with a look of vexation.
"Excuse me, I'm gathering payments to His Holy Church," he lied. The woman's eyes widened and Will put his hand on the Archbishop's shoulder, pulling him back.
"The king is awaiting you in the parlor with the other men," he said. "He'd be rather offended to discover you'd dismissed him to visit the women."
The Archbishop curled his lips and stepped away from the woman.
"Very well," he said, then turned to the woman, "We can continue our holy discussion later."
Mason adjusted his extravagant robes and left down the hall towards the parlor. Once he was out of sight, the woman nearly collapsed in front of Will.
"Thank you, thank you," she said. Will patted her shoulders awkwardly.
"Let me know if he bothers you again," he said. She nodded. "Perhaps you'd best turn in early tonight."
She nodded again and started to leave.
"Forgive me but, before you go, could you tell me where Countess Bloom is?" Will asked. The woman looked bewildered for a moment before answering, "I believe she stepped into one of the balconies for some fresh air."
"Thank you very much," Will said, then left in search of the balcony.
He found the balcony by following the faint spring breeze left by the open glass doors. Will paused at the doors to gaze at the Countess's still figure leaning over the iron railings.
"Countess Bloom?" he asked, quietly. She jumped and turned to him. Her hand clutched her chest.
"Will," she said. "You snuck up on me."
She laughed and turned back to gaze at the view. "You always used to do that when we were little too."
Will cautiously moved closer to her, but not before closing the doors.
"I was a cruel child," he said. She looked at him and shook her head.
"You were the kindest child I ever knew, and my best friend," she said. She looked out at the city longingly. "My fondest memories are of us as children, frolicking happily in the countryside. We didn't have a care in the world until your family was forced to leave."
Suddenly her expression became doleful and she said, "I never did tell you how sorry I was to see you go."
"You didn't have to," Will answered. She finally looked up at him and rested her hand on his arm with a smile.
"How was it? Being in the countryside again?" She asked.
"Exhausting," he answered, making Alana laugh.
"I haven't left the city in ages," she said with a sigh. There was some regret in her voice. Will took her hand.
"Would you like to?" he asked. She paused and looked confused.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Alana, leave with me," Will said, his words coming faster as his adrenaline levels rose. "Right now. Leave the city, leave England. No one would know."
Alana laughed and pushed a fallen curl back into Will's brushed back hair.
"I think you're a little tired from your journey," she said. Will kept holding her hand tightly.
"Don't laugh," he said. Her smile faded. "King Hannibal is a monster and he's going to strangle this city and us with it."
She pulled her hand away from his.
"Will, you don't know what you're saying. I don't know why you're so agitated," she said, taking a step back. "What you're suggesting is treason and I'm worried about you."
"Don't be," he said. "Hannibal is the one you should be worried about."
"Have you told Commander Jack about your suspicions?" Alana asked.
"He won't listen to reason," Will said. "I've shown him the evidence."
"And what evidence is there?" Alana asked. Will glanced out towards the city.
"Hannibal has been killing, eating, and serving people to his guests," Will said. "I suspect him of having murdered his predecessor and I have evidence of him hiring a man named Randall Tier to kill others who discovered this."
Alana's eyes were wide with shock as she tore her arm away. She leaned against the railing for support.
"You need to leave," she said. "We are no longer two careless children in the countryside and you are talking about very dangerous subjects. Your journey must have been very tiring and taken a toll on your sanity. Please do not approach me again until you have regained your senses."
She slammed open the doors and stormed down the hallway. Will turned to gaze angrily at the city he'd already sacrificed so much for. His stomach churned, knowing that there was only one path left for him. Following it would be terrifying, no doubt, but it was clear he couldn't escape London. He could only hope to escape it's ruler.
An idea sparked in Will's mind as he remembered Chilton being present at the party. Although it sickened him, he felt it was time he took him up on his invitation to dinner.
After the guests had retired, Will returned to his room to find his travel case unemptied. He summoned a servant and had him unpack it. Meanwhile, Will waited for Hannibal's return but he still hadn't arrived when the suitcase was emptied. This troubled Will because he was aware of how their nightly discussions entertained Hannibal. The servant also wasn't aware of where the king was.
Will found himself feeling an uncomfortable mix of anxious and drowsy after the exhausting day and too many glasses of wine. He resigned himself to wait for Hannibal in one of the chairs in his room, but soon fell asleep.