“Why did the knights actually kill people with red eyes?” Fletcher asked.
ㅤThe scholar had become interested in the topic after noticing James' that morning. Not only would he have been a little too young to remember such events, but the purge hadn’t been transparent in the first place. Many commoners remained unaware of it.
ㅤUnlike the day before, James sat in the back whilst the other two took the bench. He thought it would’ve been more relaxing away from Alex, but the suspension was worse back there and James' bones ached from the bumpy abuse.
ㅤ“We're possessed by demons,” James grumbled.
ㅤFletcher scoffed. “Like I believe that. The entire Ankaid royal family lineage had red eyes before King Fabian. Would His Majesty accuse his family of being demons?”
ㅤ“It's...” Alex struggled to find the words. “I'm not sure how involved His Majesty was in the purge. It might’ve been beyond him.”
ㅤ“Well, that purge did start from the Ankaid royal court,” James informed them. “Fabian always pushed the issue, right at the start of his reign.”
ㅤAlex looked at him from the side of his eye. “Is that so?”
ㅤ“Maybe His Majesty was traumatised,” Fletcher suggested.
ㅤJames chuckled bitterly at the irony.
ㅤRed eyes were about as common as red hair in the empire, affecting the paler northerners more. It was a pretty arbitrary feature to discriminate against. James knew why Fabian purged them and it wasn't because of religion.
ㅤ“How many did you kill?” Fletcher asked.
ㅤ“I sympathise with them,” Alex said, not answering his question. “For obvious reasons.”
ㅤPerhaps Alex would’ve understood better than anyone. Even if ethnically-Ashadi Khearians were protected from murder like any citizen, Alex must’ve been under constant threat.
ㅤ“You're not religious?” Fletcher enquired.
ㅤ“It's not a matter of religion,” Alex replied. “Not a single religious text ever said anything about demons nor people with red eyes being possessed by them. There was no justification in the first place.”
ㅤJames sighed, looking up at the grey sky. “I'm bored of this conversation.”
ㅤ“Do you not find politics interesting?” Fletcher asked him.
ㅤFletcher seemed to have warmed up to James over the hours. At first, he’d been too terrified to look him in the eye. Now he was happy to converse about annoying things.
ㅤ“I haven't followed politics for a while now. All my knowledge is pretty outdated. Alex probably knows more than me.”
ㅤ“How come?”
ㅤJames smirked, excited for the trouble he was about to make. “He's a really high-up noble. An Earl, at the very least.”
ㅤTo James' amusement, Fletcher paled.
ㅤ“I'm really sorry, Your Lordship. I had no idea. I've been disrespectful,” Fletcher rushed out.
ㅤJames laughed at the uncomfortable look on Alex's face and blanked out their conversation to retreat into his own head.
ㅤThe situation may not have been as dire as he’d thought. His client needed him. It was unlikely they’d throw their plans for something as minor as eye colour. They would likely hire him anyway and retain their intention of killing him on completion. He would have to escape before then—running away, on the other hand, was impossible according to his mentor. But James had succeeded at that for over a decade.
ㅤHe wanted to avoid killing Fabian if possible. Whether James hated the king or not, getting involved in politics was dangerous. He’d stayed away from royalty for that reason.
ㅤAll it took was the wrong person getting a glance at his face at the wrong time.
ㅤHe had to hope his client wasn’t someone too involved with the Ankaid royal family, which seemed unlikely considering the nature of the request.
ㅤ“I'm actually on my way to meet His Majesty, King William.”
ㅤThat caught James' attention.
ㅤ“You?” James piped up, looking at Fletcher. “What does His Majesty want with you?”
ㅤFletcher was hesitant after being interrupted. “Well, it's not the first time I've been to the Druteius Palace. You forget I'm a scholar. Sometimes they want my insight.”
ㅤJames thought for a moment. Fletcher could be useful after all. Perhaps James could make him deliver a message to King William, telling him of the conspiracy. But, then, would the Druteius royal house care? How would James introduce himself?
ㅤSo he decided not to say anything at all.
ㅤAs they passed more houses, James found his nervous anticipation increasing also—excited to see Eris again yet edgy about his odds.
ㅤDeath wouldn’t make him regret his decision if it came. Eris was a part of him he couldn’t live without. His life had always been secondary to her—much to his old mentor's displeasure.
ㅤIn recent years, his mentor's decision to pass on the “Jay” title had become increasingly understandable to him. James had held it the longest now, but his past actions were catching up to him and he was growing tired. He wanted to rest too. He just wasn't ready to die yet.
ㅤ“You can drop me off here,” Fletcher said, later.
ㅤThey’d reached the city centre, a hub bustling with life. The clopping of hooves over cobbles and the shouting of the nearby market exchanges drowned out the sound of James' shallow, anxious heartbeat.
ㅤ“You sure?” Alex asked.
ㅤFletcher nodded and disembarked. “I'm going to see my family before my meeting. My brothers have come back from the border.”
ㅤ“I hope they're in good health.”
ㅤJames jumped onto the front bench next to Alex, his body unable to keep still. He felt naked being so out in the open with nothing to cover his face.
ㅤAs they continued, he noticed Alex's eyes kept landing on him.
ㅤ“It's fine,” James told him. “You’re not allowed to feel worried when you're the one who brought me here.”
ㅤ“I'm not worried. Everyone deserves justice.”
ㅤ“Right.”
ㅤAlex's frame had become stiffer and his face sterner as they rounded a corner into a stable yard. It didn’t belong to the knights but, surprisingly, an inn.
ㅤAlex no longer treated James with respect. Once on the ground, Alex forcibly pulled James' arms behind his back and tied them tightly, the rope tearing his bandages with the friction.
ㅤ“Don't feel sorry,” James said as he was led back out to the street.
ㅤAlex ignored him, but the tension in his jaw returned. Even with the façade, Alex remained the same troubled person underneath. But as bad as the situation was for James, he was a criminal and in the wrong. He wouldn’t curse the consequences of his own actions, as happy as he was to try escape them.
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