Fourteen: I Make a Deal

“Now then,” I said brightly, “I think between the three of us we can work out some sort of arrangement that benefits us all.”

Valentin clearly didn’t want to negotiate with me, but with my knife at his sister’s throat, he could only reluctantly swallow whatever curses he wanted to hurl at me. He slowly pulled one of the chairs away from the table so he could sit down, silently giving me a signal that he wasn’t going to try anything funny. Not that I trusted him one bit, but it was encouraging, nonetheless.

“What do you propose?” he asked calmly.

“The way I see it,” I began, “we all need something from the other. Princess, you need someone to pretend to be your lover so that no one knows you hired me to sabotage your engagement, and you’ll eventually need me to disappear so that you can have a real marriage – preferably with someone of your choice.” Valentin’s eye twitched when I said this. I continued, barely suppressing a smirk, “Prince, you need someone more valuable than the Count to appease your father over the loss of connection to Albbari, which you have already done by telling him who I am. I can agree to cooperate with your plan – but I’ll need something from the two of you in return.”

Valentin appeared a bit taken aback by my deduction – not that it was a hard one to make. The damage I’d done to the Count’s reputation meant that the king had lost a connection to the powerful neighboring nation of Albbari, and he was likely quite furious over that, reputation of his daughter be damned. He would have certainly asked for an explanation from Valentin about what had gone wrong.

But Valentin could quite easily appease his father by offering him the match breaker.

Not for the sheer pleasure of getting to finally execute me, but because, as Valentin had insinuated earlier, I had skills that they wanted. In the end, what was more valuable – a weak blood connection to Albbari, or a fleet of spies trained by the elusive match breaker himself? Hell, a well-trained spy could walk into Albbari, get dirt on the king there, and forge a connection by force. The benefits were numerous, and that was reason number one why I never, ever wanted to get fucking captured by the king of Pansolum.

But I was here now, and rather than make an escape attempt that may or may not work, why not use the advantage I had now to ensure my safety?

“And what is it that you want?” Valentin asked steadily. His gaze was calculating.

“My life – and my freedom. I’ll play your game for a few months, long enough to give your father what he wants and long enough to fool the people. And then, when it’s time, I’ll fake my death and get the hell out of this fucking country – with your help, of course.”

The room fell silent as Valentin considered this. Years of negotiation at his father’s side had given him an unreadable stone face that left me with no clue what he was thinking, but the fact that he hadn’t outright laughed in my face meant he was probably willing to try things my way. The knife in my hand was quite the persuasion tool too, but Valentin wasn’t stupid. He needed me, and pretending he didn’t wasn’t going to do him any favors.

Even if it killed him inside.

The silence stretched on a bit too long.

“Just say yes, dumbass,” the princess gritted out. Her fingers tightened nervously on my arm. I agreed with the sentiment. Her hair was tickling my nose, and I really had to sneeze.

Valentin sighed. “Alright – fine. I agree to your terms. Could you get that godsforsaken piece of pirate junk away from my sister?”

I lowered the knife, but kept a tight grip on the princess’s upper arm with my other hand, because I wasn’t stupid.

“I want it in writing,” I said. “Let’s work out all the details right here and now.”

Valentin gritted his teeth, but acquiesced, fetching some paper and a pen from a small box on one of the bookshelves.

He wrote down what we’d discussed so far and then looked at me, waiting for specifics. I hummed thoughtfully.

“First, we should decide exactly how long I’m going to be playing nice for you. How does two months sound?”

“Six,” Valentin countered. I made a face.

“That’s way too long. I promise I can get everything sorted for you in two. I’m just that awesome.”

“Six,” Valentin repeated sternly. “There’s no way my father is going to believe you’ve died in a random accident only two months after getting you here. We need to establish your loyalty first.”

Loyalty. Yuck.

“And what are the odds he’s ever going to believe someone like me could be loyal to someone like him? I think he’s going to be suspicious either way, but does it matter? What’s he going to do about it? I’ll be gone and far out of his reach before he realizes what’s happened.”

Valentin paused at that, frowning. I think he was slowly becoming more and more irritated with how right I always was. With no counter argument, he could only reluctantly write down two months as the duration of my stay.

While he was writing, I graciously allowed the princess to sit down. I took the seat next to her, across from Valentin, and made sure to keep my grip on her arm, casually twirling the blade in my other hand. Beatrice watched it warily, a bit pale at the sight of ‘pirate metal.’

The pirates of Dorr were known for many things, most of them bad, but they were also the leading manufacturers of rare and effective weaponry. The unique forging methods they’d developed allowed them to create weapons like this blade, which was thin, but strong enough to cut through most other metals.

The pirates also very rarely sold these weapons, using them exclusively for themselves. Most people in Pansolum had only heard stories of their weapons of utter destruction. A small blade like this was only a little taste of what the pirates had in their possession, but it was still more than the princess had ever seen in her life. It was understandable that she was nervous.

Not that I was planning on actually hurting the princess, but if I had actually sneezed earlier…

Well. It would be off with her head. And her face said she knew it.

“Next, we should be clear on exactly how you two will be helping me leave. I can take care of faking my death. I’m quite skilled in that area.” I looked at the princess and wiggled my eyebrows. What do you think? She gave me a look like she thought I had brain damage, but I knew she was impressed. “But you two are going to have to pick up the slack elsewhere. I’ll need to get out of the country quickly after this, so funds and provisions for such a journey will be greatly appreciated.”

“I was going to ask about that,” Valentin snorted. “Why do you need to leave the country?”

“I think I’ve gone as far as I can go in Pansolum. I’m heading for greener pastures.”

“Other countries don’t have the engagement laws we do, so how are you going to swindle people abroad?”

“A silly question. Do you think I came here with the intention to start breaking engagements? My calling found me, not the other way around.”

At this, Valentin sat back a bit, looking contemplative. “So what did you do before you came here?” His eyes narrowed on my blade. “And where exactly did you come from?”

“I’m not a pirate, if that’s what you’re asking. Everything else is confidential information.”

“As if I can just trust your word,” Valentin scoffed. “…But I admit, you don’t strike me as a pirate. You’re not ruthless enough, and you don’t look anything like the pirates I’ve seen. I bet you stole that blade.”

I smiled, but didn’t say anything. Clearly Valentin didn’t consider holding a knife to his sister’s throat as a very ruthless action, but whatever.

The looks thing was a fair way to judge, though. While the pirates took in refugees and often kidnapped people who eventually assimilated into their society, all the pirates who regularly left the islands were swarthy sailors, muscular and weathered from being out on the sea day and night. I was pale and lean, and while not very remarkable when it came to looks, I maintained myself well, so most people assumed I was some pampered merchant’s son.

At the very least, that meant that I wouldn’t be interrogated too much for having this blade. Probably. Being able to steal pirate metal was also something the king would surely want to know about, because he was certainly salivating to get his hands on some of his own.

“Anything else you need me to write in blood for you?” Valentin asked, still miffed about the whole ordeal.

“Well, if we’re using blood, then certainly. First, if either of you go back on this agreement, I will be forced to retaliate in a very gruesome and horrible way, so to avoid this, let’s just put in a little note that if any of us betray the other, there will be terrible consequences, to be decided by the victimized party. I expect to get out of this whole and alive, and trust me, there are people waiting for me on the outside who will find a way to take revenge for me.”

The prince lightly scratched the surface of the table with a fingernail, eyelashes lowered. “No one knows you’re in here.”

It was a threat, but I couldn’t take it as one. Valentin may be the vicious prince, but he didn’t strike me as the dishonest type. If he was going to kill you, he would do it openly and honestly. A quality worthy of respect for most. Not me, though. I say get what you want and do whatever you have to do to get it.

I rolled my eyes. “The people I associate with aren’t stupid. You’re already going around the city telling tales about the princess’s commoner betrothed – I’m telling you, they’ll figure it out. And my friends aren’t as nice as me, but they are twice as patient. They might not retaliate right away, but trust me, they won’t forget.”

“But,” the princess spoke up, a little tremble to her voice, “if you fake your death, won’t they think…”

“That I really died? That’s why it’s imperative that I get to leave immediately after, to let them know I’m still alive.”

Valentin didn’t make any comments, silently writing out what I’d said. But I wasn’t stupid. Words were words and while Valentin likely wouldn’t intentionally break our agreement, if he had to to protect his family, he would.

“Is that all?” he muttered a moment later. It must be hard for him, having to be in a subservient position for once in his life. Ah, how awful humility and cooperation must feel.

“’Is that all’?” I repeated mockingly. “Think this is my first life and death contract? I have one more thing.” I twirled that pirate blade around my fingers, letting it glint in the light from the window, as beautiful as it was threatening. The siblings’ gazes were drawn to it. “The fact that I have this blade remains a secret between the three of us. I’ll give the two of you a detailed and dramatic play by play of how I came across it, but the last thing I want is for your father to think I can supply him with weapons like this. It almost cost me my life just to nab this little blade, and I’m never going to attempt to steal more, so I’ll cut off that hope before it can even blossom.”

Though Valentin and Beatrice were both quite concerned about my blade, they acquiesced to this request easily. The pen scratched gently over the paper as Valentin added it. It wasn’t difficult for anyone to imagine how disastrous it would be for a powerful, belligerent country like Pansolum to gain access to pirate weaponry. For the prince and princess, who knew their father well, it was doubly obvious.

As I was about to add on some nonsense, like a clause about how I must be given chocolate at least once a week during my stay, there was a frantic knock upon the princess’s heavy wooden chamber door, echoing solemnly.

“My lord, we’ve combed the grounds. He’s nowhere to be found. I’ve sent some men into the city to look for him. I can only assume he slipped past us.”

This voice, though loud enough to penetrate the door, carried the sheepish tone of a child who’d broken a family heirloom, nervously awaiting punishment.

“No need to panic,” Valentin called back. I met his beastly eyes and slowly tucked my blade away. “He’s here. It seems he was anxious to see the princess, and ran all the way here.”

“Ah? Oh – good! Good. Very wise of your highness to anticipate that. I’ll…call everyone back then?”

“Yes,” Valentin responded slowly, deep voice filling the room. “And while you’re at it, tell the king that Mr. Lyndsen and I are on our way.”

“Yes, sir!”

His footsteps were heard running away – yes, running. His miserable little life was saved, he must be full of joy.

Valentin stood and swept an arm toward the door. “Ladies first.”

Perhaps he thought I would become ashamed at the reminder that I was wearing a maid’s clothing, but unfortunately for him, shame and I had never gotten along properly, and the comment brushed past me like water.

I smiled cheerfully and shuffled over to throw an arm over his shoulders. He stiffened like a log right away, nostrils flaring like he was about to lose it. He’d just spent the better part of an hour in negotiation with someone he should have had the upper hand on the whole time. Of course he was at the end of his patience.

“Nonsense. We’re working together now, right? Come, come, no time to waste. Let’s go meet my future father-in-law. And hey, for the sake of our future cooperation, I’ll even pretend I like him. How’s that?”

“Good luck with that,” he muttered and shook my arm off, striding off first. I winked at the princess over my shoulder before following him. She looked a little green and dazed. Probably ate something bad. “But it’s not necessary. He wouldn’t believe you liked him no matter how well you pretended,” Valentin continued.

I smiled wickedly. “We’ll just see about that.”