Arriving at Greyback, the guards stationed there to check on arrivals were the same group who had worked at Pion's initial appearance at Greyback. Recognizing him made it much easier to get through this time, and they didn't look as stressed as they did then. They were let into the city after recording their name and reason for their coming. When they were finally inside Greyback, it was making Merlin grimace, but Polo cut his words short before they had a chance to escape his mouth.
"Wow, I never saw the streets so clean!"
"Is this what you call clean?" Merlin whispered, feeling shocked.
"You were lucky!" Yuri exclaimed, patting his shoulder, "You are used to Avalon. You must know that it is an outlier, not the norm. These streets? It is above average. Believe me, I know. I managed to swim through some really shit-filled slums as a kid."
"I... I see..." He answered with a thoughtful look as they began walking.
"To the same place?" Pion asked, receiving a nod from Polo as the group headed toward the Wheelbarrow Inn.
"It changed a lot, huh..." Polo repeated, feeling a bit unfamiliar because many of the previously boarded, abandoned houses were now cleaned out, their doors taken off so nobody could squat inside and hide away.
"More guards are patrolling the streets than at my first visit, for sure." Pion agreed, walking past the third patrolling pair of soldiers since they entered the city. "And no more sick wenches."
"Awww, that's the best part of a slum!" Yuri giggled, drawing their eyes to herself, "Don't you know? It is the bandit ruffle! Will you get sick or not? It is the most popular game amongst killers and thieves."
"R-r-really?" Polo asked, feeling a bit confused.
"Don't listen to her." Merlin nudged him quickly, "Yuri comes from a crooked environment; although our Sovereign has tamed her, the further she is from the one holding her leash, the more outrageous she can become."
"You do know me well, little Merlin~ Too bad I am already sworn to be Leocchy's bitch, or I would have helped you not think about magic very easily."
"Like you could have done it." He protested at once, not backing down resulting in Pion dragging Polo to his side.
"Don't argue with the two, one is the right hand of the Sovereign the other is the left. It is useless..."
"Um, um... I noticed that, fa-, Pion."
It was not the first time Polo had almost called him the wrong name. Even when it first happened, it made Pion flinch, feeling that he was blushing, but both of them played it off as if nothing happened—just like now.
"Come on, Merlin~!" Yuri laughed, making them an easy job to ignore Polo's mistake. "A good pussy makes the problems go away! You should try it. Hey, Polo~!"
"Y-yes?"
"Do you know of some good whorehouse? We could go there as a family and pay for you two to become grown-ups! Maybe they have some kind of family discount like the bakeries back home!"
"I will tell this to the Sovereign." Merlin countered, remaining calm and unperturbed. "In detail."
"Go ahead; he wants you to have someone anyway. Kids happen when you least want it, so it would be a win-win situation for us."
"Stop!"
Although Merlin was thinking of the same word, it was not he who shouted it, but the fourth patrolling group who was coming out from an adjacent alley. Unlike the others, this one finally stopped them, asking for their papers. Neither party was confrontational, but the guards displayed their dominance, keeping their grip on their halberds strong while checking their papers. For a moment, Polo thought Yuri would be more firey, being the wife of someone so important, but she was mellow as a butterfly, smiling while answering the guards' questions.
After they were let go, Yuri asked, "You thought I would make a scene?"
"N-no!"
"Mmmm?"
"A bit..."
"Thought so!" Yuri exclaimed with a giggle, making a mess out of his hair, "I can't afford to be that wild without instructions from my owner. Plus, they are doing their job. I would be furious if someone came to Avalon and started making a ruckus when our guys tried to identify them. No matter if they have just arrived or have been there for weeks!"
"Exactly," Merlin agreed, vigorously nodding his head. "Whoever is in charge here at least has a sense of how to govern. He is better than I expected."
"She." Pion added, trying to sound respectful, "As I mentioned while traveling, her name is Elena Kustov."
"He knows he is just being silly." Yuri waved her hands before Merlin had a chance to quip back, "He is prideful when out and about. Pair that with the fact that he is a bit angsty and grumpy about leaving his comfort zone, and he will act like a kid his age should. Anyway, I shouldn't worry, should I? You wouldn't sabotage the meeting?"
"Hmph, of course not! I am the Prime Minister; when it is about Avalon's business, I am always professional."
"Good. Let's get to this Wheelbarrow Inn, then. I'm starving!"
...
....
......
"My Lady."
"Did something happen, Borbossa?" Elena asked, leaning on her couch. Finally enjoying a day off she desperately needed, she was reading a book she had brought with her. After weeks of working, she eventually had the chance to do nothing for a change—or... at least she thought so until her guard captain arrived. "Tell me quick, and don't mince your words!" She groaned, sitting up and feeling frustrated, but she was doing her best to hold it back.
"The big man has returned. He was identified at the gate and within the city limit a second time."
"Oh?" Hearing the news, her anger quickly evaporated, replaced by different thoughts on how to make him talk.
"There is more. He didn't come along this time, but he has two kids and a woman with him."
"Family?" She thought at once, but Borbossa had no answers for her, so he remained silent. "Interesting... Is he trying to show me that he isn't afraid? Or he has no weakness, not even because of his family? How weird... Where are they now?"
"At a place called the Wheelbarrow Inn. Should I go and collect them?"
"Never heard of that place... hm... No, stay put and make sure you monitor them, but do it covertly! Let them do what they want. If Mister Pion decides to come and see me, I will be ready but don't go and start looking for him. We are not a desperate bunch, nor are we tyrants. We are of the Kustov family, dukes within the Ishillian Empire!"
"Yes, My Lady!" He saluted, leaving her alone, turning Elena's thoughts towards her father's letters hiding within his locked drawers.
"This time, I will learn more about what is going on, even if you don't want that, Father..."
...
....
.....
"Are you okay, Merlin?" Pion asked, looking at the yawning figure of his Prime Minister.
"It's fine, I just didn't sleep well."
"The thoughts of formations again?" He asked as the two were walking towards the castle while Yuri and Polo were already heading towards the mines.
"No, this time it was the bed. I am used to my own at home... sleeping in a foreign place feels weird; I couldn't fall asleep until much later."
"We can postpone it-"
"No. You heard what Yuri said; we are being followed and monitored. If she says so, it has to be the case. It is best if we get this over with."
"Yes, sir!"
Arriving at the castle walls and its entrance, Barbossa was already there, welcoming Pion without further queries or trying to identify him. The only question he asked was who the 'boy' was, and after a brief introduction, he began escorting the two to the castle.
"I'm surprised your son is nothing like you."
"I won't be a mercenary like my dad!" Merlin answered without waiting, smiling innocently, "I am not good with physical stuff... My mom always said I am better with my head!"
"Ahaha, he has your spirit, huh?" Borbossa laughed, slapping Pion's shoulders, acting as if they were old friends. Deep down, it was nothing but a strength test because he used his all when doing so, yet Pion didn't even flinch.
"What can I say?"
His short answer was enough of a sign that he wouldn't elaborate more on it, and asking about the other two would have betrayed the fact that they were watching them. So, instead of digging a hole that would trip them up, Borbossa stopped speaking and led the two into the dining room, where a fully prepared breakfast table was ready for them.
"Please, join me!" Said Elena with a smile, remaining seated and only looking up once. When she did, her eyes immediately snapped at Merlin before returning to her egg and toast, maintaining a half-smiling look.
"We won't say no to such an invitation!" Pion answered with a chuckle, sitting down and deciding to have a second breakfast as the one they had in the inn was not as fulfilling as they were used to.
"Care to tell me..." After a few minutes of eating, Elene spoke up, breaking the silence, "What does a mage do here with you?"
This time, both Merlin's and Pion's arms stopped while the former looked the most surprised, looking into Elena's questioning eyes. As he did so, Pion was focusing on Borbossa, who was at the door, standing ready, his hand already on the hilt of his sword, his muscles tense, waiting for the moment to jump in and defend Elena.
"How?" Merlin asked, finally stopping putting food onto his plate.
"This." Elena explained, raising his left hand and pointing at her thin bracelet, looking as if it was woven from silk with golden flakes hanging off of it.
"CC strands. I didn't notice. Are they woven in a way that creates a formation? Some kind of warning signal?"
"I don't know the intricacies behind it." Elena answered, nodding towards Borbossa to stay his hand and relax, "But I think you may be right. It is made so that they heat up if a mage is nearby. I never once felt it work, and I had already forgotten about it. Still... Father always told me to wear them, so it became a habit of mine. Who would have thought, hah!"
"Well, it is not wrong. I am indeed a wizard!" Merlin nodded at her, finally breaking eye contact, continuing to prepare his bread, spreading butter over it. While speaking, he was sounding super proud of the fact, making Elena feel weird... and funny at the same time. "And not just an ordinary wizard. I am the Prime Minister of Avalon!"
"Pfft!"
The stifled laugh came not just from Elena's throat but also from Borbossa and the maids inside the room, as nobody was taking him seriously.
"Is this how you greet the Sovereign's Right Hand?! THE AUDACITY!" Pion shouted, smashing his fist against the hard, wooden table with so much force that it sent cracks through its middle, throwing off multiple plates and mugs. The resounding chime of a sword being drawn followed suit at once as Borbossa pulled his weapon from its scabbard.
"It's fine, Pion." Merlin whispered calmly, patting his hand, which was bulging from muscles and popping veins, followed by the shaking from sheer anger. "My looks deceive most people. We can simply report back to the Sovereign that Duke Kustov and his family are no longer worthy of being considered as allies."
"And who is that Sovereign anyway?" Elena asked. Although she was troubled deep inside by the escalating situation, she didn't want to show it. She was determined to find out who this mysterious Sovereign was, and this was an opportunity for it.
"The one who saved your father." Merlin answered placidly. "The one who is the sole reason we are here. He believes your father is an ally, but maybe his generosity is being exploited here. This is why you don't send a woman to make deals; they act out of passion and emotion, not logic."
"You-!" Borbossa growled, but Elena raised her hand again, stopping him.
"My apologies, Prime Minister...?" Elena's voice remained calm, and even though her eyes were spewing flames, Merlin kept looking into them, forming a small smile.
"Merlin. Apology accepted. Why not prove ourselves wrong next, then?"
"Please. Elaborate." She continued, forcing herself to remain cordial.
"You prove to me that I was wrong with what I just said, and I will prove to you that your assumptions of me were just as inaccurate. So... I say, let's start this breakfast at the beginning... Shall we?" He finished his words with a big smile, holding up his bread and munching on it happily as if nothing had happened in the past few minutes.
Arriving at Greyback, the guards stationed there to check on arrivals were the same group who had worked at Pion's initial appearance at Greyback. Recognizing him made it much easier to get through this time, and they didn't look as stressed as they did then. They were let into the city after recording their name and reason for their coming. When they were finally inside Greyback, it was making Merlin grimace, but Polo cut his words short before they had a chance to escape his mouth.
"Wow, I never saw the streets so clean!"
"Is this what you call clean?" Merlin whispered, feeling shocked.
"You were lucky!" Yuri exclaimed, patting his shoulder, "You are used to Avalon. You must know that it is an outlier, not the norm. These streets? It is above average. Believe me, I know. I managed to swim through some really shit-filled slums as a kid."
"I... I see..." He answered with a thoughtful look as they began walking.
"To the same place?" Pion asked, receiving a nod from Polo as the group headed toward the Wheelbarrow Inn.
"It changed a lot, huh..." Polo repeated, feeling a bit unfamiliar because many of the previously boarded, abandoned houses were now cleaned out, their doors taken off so nobody could squat inside and hide away.
"More guards are patrolling the streets than at my first visit, for sure." Pion agreed, walking past the third patrolling pair of soldiers since they entered the city. "And no more sick wenches."
"Awww, that's the best part of a slum!" Yuri giggled, drawing their eyes to herself, "Don't you know? It is the bandit ruffle! Will you get sick or not? It is the most popular game amongst killers and thieves."
"R-r-really?" Polo asked, feeling a bit confused.
"Don't listen to her." Merlin nudged him quickly, "Yuri comes from a crooked environment; although our Sovereign has tamed her, the further she is from the one holding her leash, the more outrageous she can become."
"You do know me well, little Merlin~ Too bad I am already sworn to be Leocchy's bitch, or I would have helped you not think about magic very easily."
"Like you could have done it." He protested at once, not backing down resulting in Pion dragging Polo to his side.
"Don't argue with the two, one is the right hand of the Sovereign the other is the left. It is useless..."
"Um, um... I noticed that, fa-, Pion."
It was not the first time Polo had almost called him the wrong name. Even when it first happened, it made Pion flinch, feeling that he was blushing, but both of them played it off as if nothing happened—just like now.
"Come on, Merlin~!" Yuri laughed, making them an easy job to ignore Polo's mistake. "A good pussy makes the problems go away! You should try it. Hey, Polo~!"
"Y-yes?"
"Do you know of some good whorehouse? We could go there as a family and pay for you two to become grown-ups! Maybe they have some kind of family discount like the bakeries back home!"
"I will tell this to the Sovereign." Merlin countered, remaining calm and unperturbed. "In detail."
"Go ahead; he wants you to have someone anyway. Kids happen when you least want it, so it would be a win-win situation for us."
"Stop!"
Although Merlin was thinking of the same word, it was not he who shouted it, but the fourth patrolling group who was coming out from an adjacent alley. Unlike the others, this one finally stopped them, asking for their papers. Neither party was confrontational, but the guards displayed their dominance, keeping their grip on their halberds strong while checking their papers. For a moment, Polo thought Yuri would be more firey, being the wife of someone so important, but she was mellow as a butterfly, smiling while answering the guards' questions.
After they were let go, Yuri asked, "You thought I would make a scene?"
"N-no!"
"Mmmm?"
"A bit..."
"Thought so!" Yuri exclaimed with a giggle, making a mess out of his hair, "I can't afford to be that wild without instructions from my owner. Plus, they are doing their job. I would be furious if someone came to Avalon and started making a ruckus when our guys tried to identify them. No matter if they have just arrived or have been there for weeks!"
"Exactly," Merlin agreed, vigorously nodding his head. "Whoever is in charge here at least has a sense of how to govern. He is better than I expected."
"She." Pion added, trying to sound respectful, "As I mentioned while traveling, her name is Elena Kustov."
"He knows he is just being silly." Yuri waved her hands before Merlin had a chance to quip back, "He is prideful when out and about. Pair that with the fact that he is a bit angsty and grumpy about leaving his comfort zone, and he will act like a kid his age should. Anyway, I shouldn't worry, should I? You wouldn't sabotage the meeting?"
"Hmph, of course not! I am the Prime Minister; when it is about Avalon's business, I am always professional."
"Good. Let's get to this Wheelbarrow Inn, then. I'm starving!"
...
....
......
"My Lady."
"Did something happen, Borbossa?" Elena asked, leaning on her couch. Finally enjoying a day off she desperately needed, she was reading a book she had brought with her. After weeks of working, she eventually had the chance to do nothing for a change—or... at least she thought so until her guard captain arrived. "Tell me quick, and don't mince your words!" She groaned, sitting up and feeling frustrated, but she was doing her best to hold it back.
"The big man has returned. He was identified at the gate and within the city limit a second time."
"Oh?" Hearing the news, her anger quickly evaporated, replaced by different thoughts on how to make him talk.
"There is more. He didn't come along this time, but he has two kids and a woman with him."
"Family?" She thought at once, but Borbossa had no answers for her, so he remained silent. "Interesting... Is he trying to show me that he isn't afraid? Or he has no weakness, not even because of his family? How weird... Where are they now?"
"At a place called the Wheelbarrow Inn. Should I go and collect them?"
"Never heard of that place... hm... No, stay put and make sure you monitor them, but do it covertly! Let them do what they want. If Mister Pion decides to come and see me, I will be ready but don't go and start looking for him. We are not a desperate bunch, nor are we tyrants. We are of the Kustov family, dukes within the Ishillian Empire!"
"Yes, My Lady!" He saluted, leaving her alone, turning Elena's thoughts towards her father's letters hiding within his locked drawers.
"This time, I will learn more about what is going on, even if you don't want that, Father..."
...
....
.....
"Are you okay, Merlin?" Pion asked, looking at the yawning figure of his Prime Minister.
"It's fine, I just didn't sleep well."
"The thoughts of formations again?" He asked as the two were walking towards the castle while Yuri and Polo were already heading towards the mines.
"No, this time it was the bed. I am used to my own at home... sleeping in a foreign place feels weird; I couldn't fall asleep until much later."
"We can postpone it-"
"No. You heard what Yuri said; we are being followed and monitored. If she says so, it has to be the case. It is best if we get this over with."
"Yes, sir!"
Arriving at the castle walls and its entrance, Barbossa was already there, welcoming Pion without further queries or trying to identify him. The only question he asked was who the 'boy' was, and after a brief introduction, he began escorting the two to the castle.
"I'm surprised your son is nothing like you."
"I won't be a mercenary like my dad!" Merlin answered without waiting, smiling innocently, "I am not good with physical stuff... My mom always said I am better with my head!"
"Ahaha, he has your spirit, huh?" Borbossa laughed, slapping Pion's shoulders, acting as if they were old friends. Deep down, it was nothing but a strength test because he used his all when doing so, yet Pion didn't even flinch.
"What can I say?"
His short answer was enough of a sign that he wouldn't elaborate more on it, and asking about the other two would have betrayed the fact that they were watching them. So, instead of digging a hole that would trip them up, Borbossa stopped speaking and led the two into the dining room, where a fully prepared breakfast table was ready for them.
"Please, join me!" Said Elena with a smile, remaining seated and only looking up once. When she did, her eyes immediately snapped at Merlin before returning to her egg and toast, maintaining a half-smiling look.
"We won't say no to such an invitation!" Pion answered with a chuckle, sitting down and deciding to have a second breakfast as the one they had in the inn was not as fulfilling as they were used to.
"Care to tell me..." After a few minutes of eating, Elene spoke up, breaking the silence, "What does a mage do here with you?"
This time, both Merlin's and Pion's arms stopped while the former looked the most surprised, looking into Elena's questioning eyes. As he did so, Pion was focusing on Borbossa, who was at the door, standing ready, his hand already on the hilt of his sword, his muscles tense, waiting for the moment to jump in and defend Elena.
"How?" Merlin asked, finally stopping putting food onto his plate.
"This." Elena explained, raising his left hand and pointing at her thin bracelet, looking as if it was woven from silk with golden flakes hanging off of it.
"CC strands. I didn't notice. Are they woven in a way that creates a formation? Some kind of warning signal?"
"I don't know the intricacies behind it." Elena answered, nodding towards Borbossa to stay his hand and relax, "But I think you may be right. It is made so that they heat up if a mage is nearby. I never once felt it work, and I had already forgotten about it. Still... Father always told me to wear them, so it became a habit of mine. Who would have thought, hah!"
"Well, it is not wrong. I am indeed a wizard!" Merlin nodded at her, finally breaking eye contact, continuing to prepare his bread, spreading butter over it. While speaking, he was sounding super proud of the fact, making Elena feel weird... and funny at the same time. "And not just an ordinary wizard. I am the Prime Minister of Avalon!"
"Pfft!"
The stifled laugh came not just from Elena's throat but also from Borbossa and the maids inside the room, as nobody was taking him seriously.
"Is this how you greet the Sovereign's Right Hand?! THE AUDACITY!" Pion shouted, smashing his fist against the hard, wooden table with so much force that it sent cracks through its middle, throwing off multiple plates and mugs. The resounding chime of a sword being drawn followed suit at once as Borbossa pulled his weapon from its scabbard.
"It's fine, Pion." Merlin whispered calmly, patting his hand, which was bulging from muscles and popping veins, followed by the shaking from sheer anger. "My looks deceive most people. We can simply report back to the Sovereign that Duke Kustov and his family are no longer worthy of being considered as allies."
"And who is that Sovereign anyway?" Elena asked. Although she was troubled deep inside by the escalating situation, she didn't want to show it. She was determined to find out who this mysterious Sovereign was, and this was an opportunity for it.
"The one who saved your father." Merlin answered placidly. "The one who is the sole reason we are here. He believes your father is an ally, but maybe his generosity is being exploited here. This is why you don't send a woman to make deals; they act out of passion and emotion, not logic."
"You-!" Borbossa growled, but Elena raised her hand again, stopping him.
"My apologies, Prime Minister...?" Elena's voice remained calm, and even though her eyes were spewing flames, Merlin kept looking into them, forming a small smile.
"Merlin. Apology accepted. Why not prove ourselves wrong next, then?"
"Please. Elaborate." She continued, forcing herself to remain cordial.
"You prove to me that I was wrong with what I just said, and I will prove to you that your assumptions of me were just as inaccurate. So... I say, let's start this breakfast at the beginning... Shall we?" He finished his words with a big smile, holding up his bread and munching on it happily as if nothing had happened in the past few minutes.
