.
.
"Jacob," Audulie said, her head tilted, the corners of her mouth tugging downward slightly, as if she had smelled something unpleasant.
"Sister," Jacob said. They stood awkwardly at the street corner staring at each other, Jacob itching uncomfortably in modern clothes while Tokyo citizens walked past them, walking around them the way river water would rush around a stone.
"Well," Audulie said, gesturing. "I ought to perhaps treat you to dinner. Shall I pick a place, or is there a certain food that has caught your interest?"
"I would like to try a 'sandwich,'" Jacob said, and Audulie looked at him as if he said something truly very stupid.
"Ah, right," Audulie said, and she flashed a smile, magnanimous. "To a corner cafe, then."
Jacob glowered. Audulie turned on her heel as Jacob followed her.
xXx
.
"I take it Father is well?"
"Father is fine. In fact he blessed our marriage."
Audulie's frown deepened. "Have you always had such predilections, Jacob, or was this result of time and circumstances?"
"I fell in love with Mayumi. I never thought of her as my sister, even if she is in your body."
"Ah, yes. I see." A shadow covered Audulie's eyes as a waiter brought out his sandwich. "Just a coffee for me," Audulie murmured. Her fingers traced the rim of her cup as the waiter nodded at her.
"And...I am assuming...you did not tell Father Lady Mayumi's true identity."
"We decided to keep it secret," Jacob said, and he hesitated. "...Should we?"
Audulie scoffed. She lifted the cup, then took a sip.
"Well it is all well and good, you two got married," Audulie said. She laughed bitterly. "If ever there were a chance for those engineers to rectify their mistake and let me return, I cannot do so. You have taken my place away from me."
"And what about Mayumi? You quit her job and left her with nothing."
"'Nothing?' If she were to trade places with me, she would be a wealthy woman without a care in the world. Even now, I cannot visit my father, because he would not know it is me.
"I'll not mince words: I do not blame Lady Mayumi," Audulie said. "It was an impossible situation and she coped with it the best she could. But that you would latch onto her and take advantage of her to reinforce your position. Well. It is quite despicable but not entirely unexpected."
"I love her," Jacob said. Audulie waved her hand.
"Ah, yes, as I'm sure you've loved many a noblewoman. And how many women have you then played with since you two wed?"
He slammed his fist on the table, making the plates clatter. Audulie sniffed at him.
"As expected," she said, crisply. "You cannot cool your temper."
"Why do you treat me like this?" Jacob said. "All I ever wanted was to be a brother to you, and yet you rejected me even when we were children!"
"Your mother seduced our father whilst he was sleeping," Audulie said.
"We weren't even born yet, how could you hold that against me?"
"Because I've seen the fallout, Jacob."
Jacob pulled back. Audulie's eyes flashed. "I've seen my mother, the First Queen, crying in her bed. Every time our Father reached out to your mother, it was like he was plunging a knife into her-"
"What are you saying? Father never once contacted me, not until I was taken to the palace," Jacob said.
"As is expected, the Second Prince is quite stupid," Audulie said. "It is true, we behaved...less than admirably...as children. But your mother treated us like vermin who ought to be extinguished. It was just myself and Gautier with no one else to protect us! Did you not think we heard your mother whispering in your ear how you should become Crown Prince instead of my brother?
"And what of the times Gautier was poisoned?" Audulie said. "What of all those assassination attempts, the supporters in your mother's camp, feeding lies to witless soldiers who felt sorry for her?
"You may object that you were a child, that you knew nothing of this. How laughable. What about now, Jacob? Are you really so innocent? What of all those nobles you've been amassing, seeking to bolster your power? Do you really think I know not of your little army? Or those spies you've planted around the castle? How you planned to murder my brother and my brother's family and marry me off to some backwards noble?
"I too have eyes and ears, Jacob. And my little eyes and ears tell me you are a poison who oughtn't be trusted.
"Look at you. You cannot even deny it," Audulie said, disgusted. She set down her cup. "There is nothing more I wish to say. I am leaving now. Please do enjoy your 'sandwich.'"
"Wait."
Audulie was about to gather her things when Jacob looked up at her.
"I'm sorry," Jacob said. "I didn't know Mother tried to have Gautier poisoned."
Audulie glowered. Slowly she sat down again, taking off her purse.
"Not just poisoned, Jacob. She hired mercenaries to push him off a cliff, and caused that accident in the carriage"
"He fell into a lake. I thought it was an accident."
"Hardly an accident. It was one of many assassination attempts. Why do you think he's so frail, Jacob?" Audulie said. "With all the attempts on his life, it is a wonder he still has his strength."
"You don't remember, do you," Jacob said.
"Remember what?" Audulie said.
"How you two rejoiced the day my mother died. You said it served her right. You mocked my tears at my mother's funeral."
"Only to ask you how it felt, seeing your mother's corpse in the casket, just like we did! How do you think Gautier and I felt? No sooner was our mother's casket lowered that Father brought in some woman with a replacement child!"
"I was never meant to replace any of you!" Jacob said. Audulie pulled back. Jacob's hands tightened into fists. "I thought the Viscount was my father. I loved him. And all of a sudden, he was spitting at my face and telling me I wasn't his son and to never talk to him."
The sandwich sat on the plate, untouched. Jacob's hand trembled.
"I thought, at least, maybe I could make friends with you. You and I were close in age, and Gautier was well-known for being bright and honest, you were the golden children of the palace. Before I knew we were related, I looked up to you. But then you two treated me like garbage," Jacob said. He scoffed a little, closing his fist. "You scorned me and my earnest entreaties of friendship."
"We were grieving," Audulie said, softly. Steam rose from her cup, curling. "We were told not to cry, royals must always show composure. Our mother was replaced. Father didn't seem to care. We were angry. We took it out on you."
They fell silent. Around them, other people were chatting, the sound of ambient music and clinking plates and glass filling the silence.
"I'm sorry for how we treated you, Jacob," Audulie said.
"I as well," Jacob said. "I'm sorry for how I've treated you."
"How is Gautier? Could he not visit?"
"Father has basically abandoned his duties, and poor Gautier has taken his place at the palace."
"Is that true?" Audulie raised an eyebrow. "How is he handling it?"
"He is pissing his pants on a nightly basis."
Audulie chuckled. She took a drink from her cup. Jacob tried his sandwich.
"This is good!" Jacob said. Audulie smirked.
"Is it, now? It is just a simple fried chicken sandwich-"
"The bread is so soft - I never tasted anything like this!"
"They call that a chicken katsu sando," Audulie said. "It is a tad overpriced, if you ask me, they make better ones at the konbini."
"Cone..beeny?"
"Ah. A convenience store, a sort of general store in their world. I sometimes find myself slipping into Japanese."
"I should learn," Jacob said. "Mayumi says she misses speaking Japanese."
"How is it that you fell in love with her? She is wearing my face, I can't imagine how strange that must be."
"She carries herself differently." Jacob smiled. "Women never look me in the eye. They get too embarrassed. But not only did she look at me, she called me an idiot a number of times and never hesitated to talk down to me."
"As I said: she is wearing my face and acting much like me."
Jacob laughed. It was a pure laugh, not like the fake ones he'd use when he was lying or scheming. "She is wonderful," he said, and he touched the tips of his fingers to the table, smiling softly. "I've never been so happy."
"Truly?" Audulie looked up. "I've never seen you blush about a woman before, Jacob. I'm glad that you are happy."
"I'm sorry about Father. I just don't know how to tell him. When Gautier found out, he had a panic attack that lasted about a week, with how much Father loves you, we might send him to an early grave if he knows the truth. But we will tell him," Jacob said. "I'm sure you'd want to visit him."
"No," Audulie shook her head. "My place is here," Audulie said. "That place we're from is so backward. I have friends here. People who take pride in my intellect. I shall miss my father's warmth, of course, but I am perfectly content staying here."
"We'll tell him," Jacob said. "You're his daughter. Of course you'd miss him. I'd always missed my father."
"You mean the Viscount?" Audulie said. Jacob nodded.
"When he died, I wasn't even allowed to go to his funeral."
They fell silent again.
"Say," Audulie said. "Has Lady Mayumi ever told you about 'iced' cream?"
"She had mentioned it - she tried to invent it, but she couldn't. It was pretty disgusting."
"Well after this, let us order it," Audulie shifted to look for the waiter. "You like that sando so much, for dessert, I'd like to see you try it."